Operation Safe Arrival catches 9358 speeding drivers on NSW roads in 10 days
Police have caught almost 1000 drivers speeding every day of the high-risk holiday period, with harsh penalties and huge fines failing to deter motorists taking horrifying risks on NSW roads.
Hills Shire
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Harsh penalties and huge fines have not stopped almost 10,000 drivers from taking horrifying risks on NSW roads this Christmas, racking up thousands of demerits and fines.
More than 930 speeding, drink-driving and reckless motorists have been caught out every day since NSW Police launched Operation Safe Arrival on December 20.
An allegedly ice-affected woman driving with a newborn infant in the car, a motorcyclist allegedly tearing down a suburban road at almost 200km/h and a man allegedly drink driving at almost six times the limit before ploughing a truck full of asbestos into parked cars are among the most shocking busts made over Christmas.
On just the second day of the operation three men tragically died in three separate incidents when their vehicles left the road in different regional and rural towns across NSW.
A 30-year-old man in Singleton, an unidentified man in Lismore and an unidentified man in Kempsey all died in single-vehicle crashes on December 21.
Drivers have also shown a consistent disregard for child safety, with adults across the state racking up dozens of demerits each and thousands of dollars in fines for allegedly driving with unrestrained children and allegedly driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol with children on board.
A 31-year-old female driver from Narrandera from the state’s Riverina region will face court in 2020 after she allegedly tested positive for methylamphetamine while she was driving with a 25-day-old newborn infant in the car.
On December 23 in Lewisham a 41-year-old man was caught allegedly drink driving at almost three times the legal limit with his daughters, aged six and eight in the vehicle.
A breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.135 and he will face Newtown Local Court on January 20 next year.
In Katoomba on December 27 a woman incurred a whopping 34 demerit points after she was allegedly seen by police officers on motorcycles using her mobile phone while negotiating a roundabout with four unrestrained passengers, three of which were children.
She received five penalty notices worth $1793 in fines.
In NSW more than 20 demerit points earns a minimum automatic disqualification for five months.
In Narrabeen on December 29 a 34-year-old woman was allegedly caught driving with a blood alcohol reading of 0.171 - more than three times the legal limit - with a seven-year-old boy in the back seat.
She was charged with high range drink driving and will face Manly Local Court on January 29 next year.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander Michael Corboy again appealed to motorists to slow down and drive to the conditions at all times.
“Speeding is one of the major killers on NSW roads and this irresponsible attitude puts so many people at risk,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
“Our officers will continue to target and stop drivers who put themselves and others at risk, but ultimately, it is up to the individuals themselves to heed the warning and slow down.”
Police have now attended 694 major crashes across the state and eight fatalities.