Motorists urged to slow down as police traffic operation starts

The past week has seen multiple serious crashes in our region and police fear the extra traffic on our road over Easter will heighten the risk of tragedy.

Warning drivers to expect a heavy police presence on our roads over the coming weeks are (from left) Senior Constable Will Goodwin and Acting Inspector Brett Everest.

As families prepare to hit the road for Easter holidays, police are pleading with them to slow down and plan ahead to avoid the tragic from happening.

“We encourage people when they’re travelling with their families to really take into account the time it’s going to take to get to your destination,” Darling Downs Country Patrol Group Acting-Inspector Brett Everest said.

“What would normally take a few hours to get from point A to point B is going to take considerably longer given the amount of people that are on our roads.

“Factor that in because the frustration that drivers sometimes feel when they can’t get to their destination on time causes them to make silly decisions on the road and that is what we want to avoid.”

The plea for help comes as police roll out their Easter holiday traffic operation which will see officers hit the road in force, issuing random breath tests and laying speed traps.

“Police will target speeding, drunk drivers, people not wearing seatbelts and also distracted driving such as using mobile phones, which all contribute to crashes,” A/Insp Everest said.

“So far this year, in the Darling Downs, we’ve had six fatalities while there have been 65 fatalities Queensland-wide.

“That is 65 too many.”

As A/Insp Everest was making these comments at a press conference in Toowoomba on Monday, police, paramedics and firefighters were responding to a two-vehicle crash on the Warrego Highway at Helidon Spa that put four people in hospital.

Western Downs police were finalising court material for an alleged drunk driver who crashed in Miles on Friday night while the Forensic Crash Unit methodically worked through evidence from a serious crash at Dalveen that put a woman in intensive care.

The exact cause of each crash is yet to be determined, but it is highly likely that they will involve at least one of the Fatal Five – speeding, impairment, distraction, fatigue or failing to wear a seatbelt.

“Everyone’s got a role to play in that and we ask everyone that’s on the road to make sure that they’re doing the right thing,” A/Insp Everest said.

“Anyone who is on the road will be the subject of our attention.”

Originally published as Motorists urged to slow down as police traffic operation starts