Road users warned to abide by road rules

Northern Territory Police are urging road users to take responsibility on Northern Territory roads, particularly during school holidays.

Yesterday, members from the Darwin Traffic Operations conducted an extended traffic patrol on the Victoria Highway.

Around 1:30pm, police passed a Nissan Patrol utility travelling from Timber Creek to Katherine. As police passed the vehicle they observed the driver to not be wearing a seatbelt.

A traffic apprehension was conducted on the vehicle and it was revealed that:

  • four children aged between 7 and 10 were located laying on the tray
  • three persons inside the cabin were not wearing seatbelts
  • an 18-month-old child was unrestrained in the cabin
  • the vehicle was unregistered.

A total of eight persons were in the vehicle and all were unrestrained.

A traffic infringement notice was issued to the 22-year-old driver for:

  • 1 x drive without seatbelt fastened
  • 1 x drive unregistered motor vehicle
  • 5 x unrestrained children.

Two passengers aged 16 and 18 were issued traffic infringement notices for failing to wear a seatbelt.

Senior Sergeant Paul Faustmann of Darwin Traffic Operations said that incidents of this nature are frustrating and the community needs to take ownership to avoid tragedy.

“40% of fatal and serious accidents involve people not wearing seatbelts. This is compounded by the fact that 71% of fatalities occur on rural and remote roads.

“Today is the first day of school holidays so we expect to see more people out on our roads as they explore the Territory. With this in mind, we implore road users in the Territory to work together and share the responsibility to reduce death and serious injury on our roads.”

PFES Media

/Public Release. View in full here.