South Australia Police yesterday concluded their month long high impact road safety operation, which resulted in thousands of alcohol screenings and almost 400 alcohol detections.
Known as Operation High Impact F5, the new operation had a dedicated focus on targeting all of the Fatal 5 offences of drink and drug driving, speeding, distraction, seatbelts and dangerous road users.
The highly visible and highly intensive traffic enforcement operation included 85,381 breath tests compared to just over 43,500 last year when the operation wasn’t running. There were 396 drink drivers detected over the limit with 48%, more drivers testing positive compared to the same period last year.
South Australia Police screened 3,843 drivers for drug driving (specifically testing for methamphetamine, THC and Ecstasy) with 1 in every 8 drivers returning a positive result, which is a 49% increase in positive readings compared to the same time last year.
Police also saw a 23% increase in speed detections, with almost 5,000 drivers detected exceeding the speed limit. These figures do not include speed cameras.
Additionally, over 400 drivers were detected committing a seatbelt offence during High Impact, resulting in a 26% increase in officers detecting these offences.
Despite the repeated message that distracted driving can be fatal, 946 drivers were detected committing a distraction offence, resulting in a 12% increase. These offences were almost entirely mobile phone related.
Outside of the Fatal 5 offences targeted during this operation, there was also an alarming amount of people driving while disqualified or with an expired or suspended licence, with 1,333 people detected for these specific offences.
But foolish behaviour didn’t go unnoticed during High Impact with 558 drivers having their vehicles impounded by police, equating to nearly 20 cars a day.
South Australia Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens said that while the operation utilised a large number of resources, it also detected a large number of motorists engaging in dangerous and selfish behaviour.
“The results from Operation High Impact Fatal 5 highlight that some road users are still taking unnecessary risks that jeopardise their own safety and the safety of others,” he said.
“Most people who use the roads do the right thing. However, the statistics from this operation clearly indicate that there are still those who do not heed the warnings and need to be held accountable for their behaviour towards road safety.
Minister for Police Corey Wingard added that there’s no place on South Australian roads for reckless and irresponsible drivers.
“Road users who think it is acceptable to risk the lives of others by drink or drug-driving or speeding need to wake up to themselves,” he said.
“Some fools think it won’t happen to them, or they won’t hurt anyone else, but there are thousands of police officers, emergency service workers, and mourning family and friends across the nation who will testify otherwise.
“Our message is clear to reckless drivers: At best, our determined police will catch you, at worst you, or innocent motorists will become another tragic victim of your attitude.”
