Gold Coast drivers charged over alleged drink driving, speeding offences

Police have released footage of motorists being stopped for alleged drink driving and speeding amid a spate of concerning alleged incidents on the Gold Coast. SEE THE VIDEOS

Police have issued a stern warning to Gold Coast motorists after a string of shocking incidents on the roads that saw one person lose their life and a large number of people caught speeding and drink driving.

Among the cases dealt with by police were:

* A motorist who recorded a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.222 after being stopped at Surfers Paradise on Friday night.

* A 36-year-old man charged after allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road outside Helensvale State High School at 3.20pm on Thursday.

* Several motorists caught speeding through a school zone in Coombabah on Monday morning.

Police also released bodyworn camera footage showing their interactions with motorists stopped in two separate incidents earlier this month.

In the first case depicted, an 18-year-old Pimpama man was issued an infringement notice for allegedly driving at 119km/h on Hope Island Road on August 16, where the limit is 70km/h.

In the second incident depicted, officers are seen speaking with a 55-year-old woman stopped at Binstead Way at Pacific Pines after allegedly being seen veering across the road and driving erratically.

The woman allegedly had a positive roadside breath test before going back to Coomera Police Station where a breath alcohol concentration of 0.215 was recorded.

Her licence was suspended and she was charged with drink driving. She is expected to appear before Southport Magistrates Court on September 2.

Speaking to mark the start of Queensland Road Traffic Week, Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles said it was disappointing the road safety message appeared to still not have gotten through to many Gold Coast drivers.

“Across the weekend we undertook (roadside breath test) lines. In one of the lines we conducted we did 1200 tests and as a result detected 10 drink drivers plus five drug drivers, with the highest reading being 0.222,” he said.

“So again, motorists here on the Gold Coast are not heeding the message we are giving around the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and those other safety messages. What we’re asking is for motorists to pay attention to your driving, wear your seatbelt, don’t drive fatigued, don’t drink and drive or drive under the influence of drugs. You will be intercepted, you will be tested and you will be put before the courts.”

Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles. Picture: Keith Woods.

Acting Supt Knowles said the amount of drink drivers being intercepted was particularly concerning, with the high reading recorded at Surfers Paradise on Friday night especially disappointing.

“It’s risking people’s lives,” he said.

“If you’re going to be drinking, plan ahead, get a mate who’s not going to drink to drive.

“The dangers of driving with those sorts of readings is astronomical. It’s a fatality waiting to happen.”

Also at the weekend a 21-year-old Mudgeeraba man died when the Mitsubishi Pajero he was driving left the road and rolled at Bonogin Rd at about 12.45am on Sunday morning.

Acting Supt Knowles said police were investigating the cause of the incident.

“Unfortunately on the Gold Coast we’re at 13 fatalities this year alone, three more than what we were at last year,” he said.

“ … Unfortunately we did experience another fatality over the weekend. Five people in a motor vehicle rolled that vehicle resulting in the driver of that vehicle being killed.

“Our investigations are looking at what were the contributing factors to that.” … and our Forensic Crash Unit are looking into that.”

Acting Supt Knowles said police would be actively enforcing road rules throughout the week, including at school zones, warning that motorists doing the wrong thing would be caught and punished.

“Police that (were) deployed into a school zone (at Coombabah) this morning issued a number of tickets for exceeding the limit in those school zones.

“I think there were seven tickets issued just this morning.

“It’s really important to be aware of your speed, especially in those sorts of zones.

“ … Just be careful when you’re out there driving. It’s a privilege not a right.”

Follow @keithjwoods

Originally published as Gold Coast drivers charged over alleged drink driving, speeding offences