Operation Mistletoe underway on the Gold Coast amid devastating year on QLD roads
Gold Coast police have issued an impassioned plea ahead of the school holidays and festive season. Read why this year is so concerning.
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Unmarked police cars and motorbikes have joined a co-ordinated road safety blitz on the Gold Coast as authorities try to prevent any further loss of life during the festive season.
Operational Mistletoe launched on Friday morning to coincide with the start of the school holiday break, with officers out in force conducting random drug and alcohol testing.
Gold Coast Assistant District Officer, Superintendent Brett Jackson said: “We really don’t want to see anymore loved ones lost during this Christmas period.
“Our aim is to make sure drivers are following the road rules and not doing any dangerous activities. Drink driving, driving under the influence of a drug, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, we also need to watch out during this period for fatigue.”
Police will be conducting RBT operations daily and increasing the number of covert vehicles out on patrol to catch dangerous drivers by surprise.
“Our goal is not to catch anyone, if everyone is doing the right thing then we would receive no drink drivers and that’s really what we aim for,” Supt Jackson said.
The consequences couldn’t be greater this festive season as the state stares down the barrel of another devastating year for road fatalities. So far 16 people have been killed on Gold Coast roads in 2024, among 287 lives lost statewide this year. That is 10 short of the 297 Queenslanders killed in 2022, which was the most deadly period on the state’s roads in more than a decade.
“It’s life imperative – we really don’t want to see 287 go to 288,” Supt Jackson said.
“The last 24 hours we have had no fatalities across Queensland and we want to continue that. So I urge everyone to drive safely over this Christmas period.”
Operation Mistletoe will continue until late January.
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