Man caught driving 180km/h on the Bass Highway

A driver has been stripped of his licence and slapped with a hefty fine after he was caught driving an extraordinary speed along a Tasmanian highway.

A TASMANIAN driver has achieved the very dubious honour of travelling at one of the highest speeds recorded in the state’s North-West.

The driver was clocked at 180km/h as he sped between Ulverstone and Devonport on the Bass Highway on Monday night.

“This would be one of the fastest speeds clocked in the Western District,” Sergeant Shane Flude from Western Road and Public Order Services said on Tuesday.

Sgt Flude said catching drivers travelling at 40-50km/h over the speed limit was not that rare. But he said nabbing a driver at a rate 80km/h over the limit was.

“That is definitely an excessive speed and the sort of driving we do not want to see a repeat of,” Sgt Flude said.

The 39-year-old man behind the wheel has lost his licence and had his car clamped.

It will stay clamped for 28 days if it was his first offence, longer if he has been charged with an excessive speeding offence before.

Police caught up with the hatchback about 8.30pm on Monday.

The driver has been fined $966 — the highest penalty available — and lost six demerit points.

He will also be disqualified from driving for four months.

Tasmania Police said road and public order services officers were actively patrolling all areas of the state and enforcing traffic laws in an effort to reduce the state’s road toll.

“Police remind drivers that speed is one of the major causes of serious and fatal crashes along with drink driving and inattention,” a spokesman said.

Information can be provided anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au.