SA Police deployed two traffic operations over the long weekend slugging one hoon with nearly a $2000 fine and nabbing a drink driver with a blood alcohol reading four times over the legal limit.
Police detected hundreds of Fatal Five offences on South Australian roads. Sadly, one life was lost and 8 serious injuries occurred.
The following results were obtained by Police Officers state-wide during both static and patrol policing in two road safety enforcement operations:
54 incidents of drunk driving
27 incidents of drug driving
774 incidents of speeding
45 drivers were caught not wearing a seatbelt
43 drivers were caught driving distracted by a mobile phone
18 motorcyclists were detected committing offences including driving without ‘L’ plates, speeding, drug driving.
Penalties during the operations included vehicle impound, Immediate Loss of Licence and expiations.
Incidents of note included:
The fatality occurred on Friday 29 September on Birralee Road, Regency Park where a male driver crossed to the incorrect side of the road and collided head on with an unattended semi-trailer. The driver died as a result of his injuries however a post mortem will determine if a medical episode contributed to the collision
A 30-year old Norther Territory woman is in hospital with life threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian in Salisbury.
A 26-year old Ceduna Waters man was caught speeding 160 km/h in a 110 km/h zone on the Augusta Hwy, Curramulka. He was fined $1939 and issued a 6 month Immediate Loss of Licence.
Two drink drivers caught in separate incidents in Renmark involving a 20-year-old man and in Port Augusta, involving a 19 year-old Pennington man. Both drivers’ vehicles were impounded and will appear in court.
Three women are in hospital with serious injuries following a two-car crash in Hindmarsh Valley.
Three people are in hospital with serious injuries following a serious crash on Blyth Plains Rd, Halbury.
A 56-year old man from Milang was caught with a blood alcohol readying of 0.206. He was issued with a 12-month Immediate Loss of Licence, his car was impounded for 28 days and will appear in court at a later date.
A unlicensed motorcyclist was caught after being tracked and stopped by PolAir and patrol police in Edinburgh and charged with driving unlicensed, driving in a dangerous manner, resisting police, possessing ammunition and trafficking a controlled drug.
Operation Safe Long Weekend targeted the Fatal Five factors that contribute to road trauma on South Australian roads, being drink drug driving, dangerous driving, distraction, speeding and seatbelts.
Operation Stop Drink Drug Drive put an additional emphasis on targeting drink and drug driving and aimed to deter and detect drivers who use alcohol or drugs and drive. Drink and drug driving continues to be a significant contributing factor to the number of fatalities and serious injuries on South Australian roads.
In addition to these Operations the long weekend also saw the commencement of Operation Safe Hills, which will be in operation until April 2024.
Operation Safe Hills is an annual operation which spans across the Adelaide Hills and parts of Barossa Valley and Hills Fleurieu area to target the expected rise in recreational traffic in these areas, particularly motorcyclists. Operation Safe Hills is undertaken in response to South Australia Police recognising the increased risk to road safety for all road users when drivers, and in particular, motorcycle riders, use these roads in greater number and often ride in a hazardous manner.
