Police are thanking the majority of Queenslanders who drove safely over the Christmas break with no loss of life on the state’s roads and urge all motorists to make safe decisions while behind the wheel for the remainder of the holidays.
Across the state, police have been out on the road cracking down on dangerous driving as part of Operation Tango Mistletoe.
Between December 23 and December 27, police detected more than 1,855 driving offences across Queensland.
During the same period, more than 1,028 on-the-spot fines were issued for speeding, 19 for using mobile phones while driving and 45 for not wearing a seatbelt.
Police also detected 129 drink drivers and 44 drivers driving under the influence of drugs.
No lives were lost on Queensland roads this Christmas period, compared to five during the same time last year, however a man remains in a critical condition after a crash in the state’s Far North on Christmas Day.
Over the long weekend, police recorded 74 injury-related crashes resulting in 89 injured people compared to 187 people who were injured across the same period last year.
Acting Chief Superintendent Ray Rohweder thanked motorists for driving safely across the break.
“Thanks to those good decisions made on our roads, families across Queensland were able to spend quality time with those they love.
“While the majority of motorists obeyed the rules, highway patrol officers taking part in Mistletoe continued to detect dangerous drivers on our roads.
“I make no apologies for our ongoing enforcement of the road rules, because they are in place for a reason and that reason is to keep people safe,” Acting Chief Superintendent Rohweder said.
“The reality is, dangerous behaviour on the road leads to damaged vehicles, life-long injuries and loss of life.”
Acting Chief Superintendent Rohweder said while there were no fatal crashes in Queensland over the Christmas long weekend, now was not the time to get complacent.
“We want motorists to keep making good decisions on our roads,” he said.
“No one wants to get a visit from our officers delivering the news that a loved one has been seriously injured or had died because of a crash, especially at this time of year.
“More than 74 crashes causing injuries, in just a few days, is far too many. The lives of those injured individuals may never be the same.
“Queensland police will continue our high-volume efforts to enforce road safety compliance for the rest of the school holidays, so expect to see us anytime, anywhere.”
