Police are urging the community to think of others on the road after a significant number of dangerous driving incidents across the state during the Australia Day long weekend and summer holiday period.
Operation Australia Day 2024 commenced at 00.01am on Thursday (25 January 2024) and ran until 11.59pm yesterday (Sunday 28 January 2024).
Double demerit points were in force for the duration of the operation for speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt, and motorcycle helmet offences.
The Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, together with local police, patrolled roads across the state, targeting dangerous driving behaviour and risks on the roads – with the aim of preventing injury and death.
During the period, police saw a concerning number of dangerous driving incidents, including excessive speed, high-range drink-driving, and reckless driving.
Police issued 3,682 speed infringements, conducted 122,617 breath tests with 244 people charged with drink-driving, 543 positive roadside drug detections, and attended 302 major crashes, resulting in 110 people injured.
Four people died on NSW roads, compared to two for the same period the previous year (2023).
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said every life lost on our roads is a tragedy.
“Coming out of the long weekend, the message remains the same: be aware of your surroundings, don’t use your mobile phone, don’t drink or drug drive and make sure you’re not tired when getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.”
“There are still too many people on our roads doing the wrong thing, and we want everyone to get to where they’re going safely.”
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden, said while the summer operations have concluded, police will continue to target behaviour that endangers lives on NSW roads.
“We have continued to see a number of concerning incidents of dangerous driving across the summer holidays, and we will continue to have a zero-tolerance approach to law breakers,” Assistant Commissioner McFadden said.
“The end of the double demerit operations isn’t an excuse to forget the road rules, including the speed limit. Police across the state will continue to have a high-visibility presence, targeting speeding, fatigue, drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving,” Assistant Commissioner McFadden said.
Some examples of driver behaviour detected during the operation include:
About 9.10pm on Thursday (25 January 2024), officers attached to Lake Illawarra Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on the Princes Highway at South Nowra and the driver, a 53-year-old woman was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result. She was arrested and taken to Nowra Police Station where a secondary breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.224/ She was issued a court attendance notice for High Range PCA and is due to appear at Nowra Local Court on Tuesday 20 February 2024.
About 10.30pm on Thursday (25 January 2024), the 20-year-old male rider of an Aprilla motorcycle was stopped on Oran Park Drive, Oran Park after allegedly being detected at 150km/h in a signposted 60km/h zone. He was issued an infringement for exceed speed more than 45km/h and his licence was suspended.
About 6am on Friday (26 January 2024), officers attached to Coffs Harbour Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on stopped on the Pacific Highway, Korora after it was allegedly detected at 76 km/h in a signposted 60 km/h zone. The driver, a 51-year-old woman was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result. She was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station where a secondary breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.192. She was charged with high range PCA and will appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday 28 February 2024. Her Licence was also suspended.
On Friday (26 January 2024, Mittagong Traffic and Highway Patrol HWP were conducting speed enforcement on the Hume Highway at Yerrinbool when they a Toyota Kluger travelling north at 158km/h in the signposted 110km/h zone about 7.20am. The vehicle was stopped and the driver, a 23-year-old man, was issued an infringement for exceed speed more than 45km/h. His P2 licence was also suspended for six months, and the vehicle’s registration plates were confiscated for three months.
About 10:40pm on Friday (26 January 2024), Goulburn traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on the Hume Highway, Goulburn after it was detected travelling at 140km/h in a signposted 110km/h zone. The driver, a 22-year-old ACT man, produced an expired licence. He was breath tested, returning a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Goulburn Police Station where a breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.152. The man was issued a court attendance notice for drive with high range PCA and his licence was suspended. He is due to appear at Goulburn Local Court at a later date. He was also issued with infringement notices for exceed speed more than 30km/h speeding offence and drive with an expired licence.
About 11.15pm on Friday (26 January 2024), police stopped a Lamborghini on the M5 at Bexley, after it was allegedly detected at 130km/h in the signposted 80km/h zone. The driver, 27-year-old Rockdale man, was issued an infringement for exceed speed more than 45km/h & his licence was suspended for six months.
Just after 10am on Saturday (27 January 2024), officers attached to Lake Illawarra Police District were conducting stationary RBT on Jamberoo Road, Albion Park, when a motorcycle failed to stop. Officers attempted to catch up to the motorcycle which overtook at least 12 vehicles, reaching speeds of 150km/h in the signposted 80km/h zone. Police terminated the pursuit, with the motorcycle located at a Jamberoo property a short time later. The rider, a 17-year-old male, was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where he was issued a court attendance notice for police pursuit – manner dangerous, drive whilst suspended and fail to stop. He is due to appear in Kiama Local Court on Monday 4 March 2024. His licence was also suspended, and the motorcycle impounded. He was also issued an infringement for unlawfully possess thing resemble number plate.
About 11:30pm on Saturday (27 January 2024), Manning Great Lakes Traffic and Highway Patrol detected a Mitsubishi travelling along the Pacific Highway, Jones Island, at 160km/h in a signposted 100km/h zone. The vehicle was stopped and the driver, a 25-year-old man was breath tested, returning a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Taree Police Station, where a secondary breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.168. He also returned a positive oral fluid test for cocaine. He was issued a court attendance notice for drive with high range PCA and illicit drug (combined offence), drive with high range PCA and exceed speed limit more than 45km/h. He is due appear in Taree Local Court on Tuesday 12 March 2024. His driver’s licence was also suspended.
At 4pm yesterday (Sunday 28 January 2024), Wagga Wagga Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a Ford ranger on the sturt Highway, Collingullie. The driver, a 20-year-old man, was unable to produce a licence and checks revealed his P2 licence was suspended. The man was arrested taken to Wagga Police station where his identification was confirmed, and he was charged drive whilst suspended and passenger seatbelt not adjusted/fastened. He is due to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday 17 April 2024.
About 4.30pm yesterday (Sunday 28 January 2024), Hawkesbury Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a Toyota Camry on the Bells Line of Road, Bilpin, after it was detected at 115km/h in a signposted 80 km/h zone. The driver, a 35-year-old woman, was spoken to and checked revealed her licence was
Disqualified. She was subjected to a roadside drug test, returning a positive result before being arrested and taken to Windsor Police Station. She was charged with exceed speed more than 30km/h – Lidar, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, and Breach of Bail. She is due to appear at Penrith Local Court today (Monday 29 January 2024).
REGIONAL STATISTICS
Northern Region
Speed infringements: 975
Breath tests: 26,649
Positive drug-driving tests: 164
PCA charges: 74
Major crashes: 59
Fatalities: 1
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Southern Region
Speed infringements: 960
Breath tests: 25,283
Positive drug-driving tests: 124
PCA charges: 52
Major crashes: 34
Fatalities: 2
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Western Region
Speed infringements: 425
Breath tests: 10,120
Positive drug-driving tests: 87
PCA charges:21
Major crashes: 26
Fatalities: 0
