Police reveal Gympie’s surprising Easter road stats

Officers spent more than 360 hours patrolling the region’s roads during the break, as drivers failed to be deterred by extreme weather

Police issued only 34 tickets for “fatal five” offences on Gympie’s roads during the four-day Easter break. Photo Scott Powick Newscorp

Police have praised motorists who took to the Gympie region’s roads during the Easter break after only two minor crashes were recorded.

Officers said a low level of illegal behaviour was recorded in the region during the four-day break, despite the high volumes of traffic on the roads and extreme wet weather conditions.

Only 34 traffic infringements were issued across the Gympie Police District for life- endangering (fatal five) offences.

The Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast, Mackay and Capricornia regions, meanwhile, accounted for a quarter of the 4742 offences handed out across the state.

The volume of offences overall led Acting Assistant Commissioner Ray Rohweder to express disappointment about the behaviour of Queensland drivers, particularly given the number of lives lost and serious injuries sustained from crashes.

However crashes in the Gympie region were few and far between; only two minor ones were recorded on the region’s roads, including one which was believed to have occurred after the driver avoided a kangaroo.

Three low-level drink-drivers were picked up by officers in random breath tests.

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More than 1200 random breath tests were undertaken across the region which led to three low-range drink-drivers being caught.

Sixty-two random drug tests were performed which resulted in two drivers being charged.

Gympie police thanked drivers “who have clearly taken on the message that road safety is everyone‘s responsibility which starts with the individual, and that every decision a driver makes counts”.

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Originally published as Police reveal Gympie’s surprising Easter road stats