Police launch Operation Safe Long Weekend, South Australia

As COVID19 restrictions continue to be changed to allow greater travel throughout the state, this June long weekend will be much different again.

Instead of asking people not to travel to regional areas; or even leave their homes for essential travel, this Queens birthday lone weekend is one of the first main opportunities for South Australians to get out and travel to regional areas. This includes supporting local businesses.

Operation Safe Long Weekend will run from today and will conclude at midnight on Monday 8 June 2020. In previous years, the June Long Weekend has been a high activity period in South Australia for vehicle crashes involving people losing their lives or being seriously injured.

In 2019 there were 2 vehicle occupants who lost their lives in vehicle collisions over this period with a further 11 people seriously injured. Operation Safe Long Weekend June 2020 is a State-wide corporate traffic operation.

So far this year 47 people have lost their lives on South Australian roads compared to 53 at the same time last year.

SA Police will continue concerted efforts to reduce the number of lives lost on our roads and to reduce serious injury collisions. SAPOL is once again pushing the strong message that when a person is driving or riding a car or any other vehicle it is a ‘one tonne bullet’ that if not driven in the appropriate way can be lethal.

“With COVID restrictions we know that people are excited to get out to the regions, wineries but also a lot more travelling in the metropolitan area so we are asking people to remain safe and do not take risks this long weekend. We know that there are certain risks that people do take when they don’t plan properly particularly for long distance driving. So plan to leave early; check to see if there are roadworks on regional roads so that you are not going to arrive late to your destination or feel pressured to take risks you wouldn’t normally take,” Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said.

“I want remind everyone that hopping behind the wheel of a car; a speeding car is a ‘one tonne bullet’ which can cause an enormous amount of destruction not only to yourself and family but to other community members using the roads.

“South Australia Police will be out in force policing our highways but also policing our metropolitan areas making sure that people are behaving responsibility. So please – this long weekend enjoy yourselves; plan ahead; don’t take risks; and certainly do not speed or drink drive.”

/Public Release. View in full here.