NT Police talk of ‘fatal five’, road toll after two crashes in one day

Cops are pleading with Northern Territory road users to pick up their game and leave distractions on the back seat after a weekend of fatal crashes and drink driving arrests.

“Pick up your game.”

It’s the message Deputy Commissioner Martin Dole hopes Territorians take away after a horror weekend where two teens died in separate car crashes.

On Sunday morning, a 17-year-old boy was declared dead at the scene of a crash on the Stuart Highway in Katherine.

Fewer than 14 hours later, an 18-year-old woman suffered critical injuries after a crash at the interstection of Coonawarra and Bombing roads in Winnellie – she died in hospital overnight.

The crashes bring the NT’s road toll to 49, compared to just nine this time last year.

Mr Dole said traffic cops and detectives were working to determine the “exact cause” of both crashes.

“I just want to remind Territorians of the fatal five: drinking and drug driving, speeding, seat belts, mobile phones and driving distracted,” he said.

“You have already seen an increased presence of police on our roads, and you’ll continue to see and feel this presence.

“If you’re engaged in any of these fatal five, expect to be stopped, apprehended and prosecuted.

“Forty-nine lives lost on Territory roads is 49 too many.”

Northern Territory Police deputy commissioner Martin Dole. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mr Dole said there was only so much police could do to prevent further tragedy.

He said it was up to Territorians to take personal responsibility for their behaviour on the road.

During large scale random breath testing late last week, Mr Dole said police apprehended 16 alleged drink drivers.

He said seven were caught on Cox Peninsula Rd on Thursday evening, while nine were busted on Girraween Rd on Friday night.

Mr Dole said a 36-year-old man who was allegedly caught driving dangerously and “doing burnouts” in the city was arrested and charged at the weekend for drink and drug driving.

He pointed to alcohol-related driving incidents as one of the leading causes of this year’s devastating road toll.

“That’s 49 members of somebody’s family – somebody’s father, somebody’s mother, brother, sister, daughter, someone’s wife or partner – that is not coming home,” he said.

“How many more lives need to be lost before the community wakes up and pays some attention?”

Originally published as NT Police talk of ‘fatal five’, road toll after two crashes in one day