Today, January 24 marks the Nation’s second National Day of Action, representing a day of unity from police across the country, all working together towards one common purpose; road safety.
Deaths on our roads affect everyone. From loved ones to emergency service workers to colleagues and even to those who hear about it on the news, thousands of kilometres away.
Driving on our roads and using our roads should never come at such an irreversible cost.
One death on Australian roads is too many.
Queensland Police know this all too well and so will be joining the Australia-wide day of action and implementing multi-faceted and highly visible enforcement actions.
Acting Inspector Ian Crang said that whilst road safety is a priority for Queensland Police each and every day, this operation will add to the on-going Christmas and back to school campaign, already in place.
“This operation falls within Operation Romeo Sleigh which spans from Christmas holidays, right through to the back to school period when we know that an influx of people are travelling on Queensland roads,” Acting Inspector Crang said.
“Today, however, we will be making the effort to show our presence and stand alongside our counterparts across the country to precent road fatalities by enforcing and educating motorists about road rules.”
This one day allows all of our nation’s policing agencies to focus on one consistent goal and to stand up for safety on Australian roads.
Acting Inspector Crang also said that officers continually see motorists taking risks on the roads.
“While there are a large number of people who continually do the right thing behind the wheel in terms of not drinking and driving, we are also focusing on encouraging and reminding all motorists about the dangers of something as simple as being distracted,” Acting Inspector Crang said.
“Today, officers across Queensland will not just be targeting drink and drug drivers and those who speed, but also distracted drivers using and touching their mobile phones whilst driving.
“We’ve seen the detrimental risks and consequences involved in letting our phones divert our attention from the task at hand.
“It can be a split second and that’s all it takes.
“It’s about breaking that habit and being reminded of just how dangerous it can be to use your phone while driving.
“We don’t want anything to jeopardise anyone’s safety.”
This National Day of Action, all of Australia’s police are standing together and asking you to put your own and other road users’ safety first.
Today we plead for no more. Don’t let police have to respond to your accident. Don’t let the news headline be another fatality on our roads.
Please be sensible, please be responsible and please be safe.
