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Devonport P-plater over legal limit nabbed charged over two-car crash

A P-plater in the state’s North has been nabbed for a two-car collision after he was found with alcohol in his system. The latest.

Tasmania Police car
Tasmania Police car

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P-plater charged after drunken Bass Highway crash

A 21-year-old Devonport P-plater with a blood alcohol concentration almost three times the fully-licensed legal limit has been charged following a Wednesday night crash.

Police and emergency services were called to the Bass Highway at Devonport at 9.50pm on Wednesday after reports of a two-vehicle crash.

Initial police investigations suggest the P-plater was behind the wheel of an Isuzu Dmax ute and overtaking a Suzuki Jimny at speed when the vehicles collided.

Police suspect the ute lost control and hit the shoulder of the highway, with the Suzuki crashing into the rear of the ute.

The occupants of the Suzuki, a woman and child, were taken to the Mersey Community Hospital and treated for minor injuries.

The ute driver and a passenger left the scene before police arrived.

Police then attended a Devonport address associated with the ute driver and took him to the Devonport Police Station where he returned a breath analysis reading of 0.139.

A zero blood alcohol limit applies to all provisional license holders.

He was immediately disqualified from driving for 12 months, and charged with drink driving, and being a driver involved in a crash and failing to stop and was bailed to appear in the Devonport Magistrates Court in February.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage, or who witnessed a white Pajero in the vicinity immediately prior to the crash, should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.

Water leak closes lane on two CBD streets at peak hour

November 12, 3.50pm: Liverpool St will be down to one lane while Campbell St will be reduced from four to three while a water main is repaired.

In a statement, a TasWater spokesperson said the repairs at the three-way junction wouldn’t be finished until around 7.30pm.

They said crews were called to the leak after water was spotted on the road.

The incident is expected to cause traffic congestion in Hobart’s CBD.

Police nab thousands of drivers

In Tasmania’s North West alone, thousands of drivers have been nabbed speeding, drink or drug driving or driving without a licence, since January this year.

In the past week, there were ten drivers charged after a targeted patrol operation.

“The behaviour is unacceptable and endangers not only the driver, but all road users,” Tasmania Police inspector Adam Spencer said. .

“We will not tolerate it and Tasmania Police will continue to take strong action statewide to ensure those disobeying the road rules and putting lives at risk will be held accountable.

“Road safety is about prevention, and we will continue to undertake proactive patrols – both covert and high-visibility – and focus on educating drivers on safe behaviour.”

Inspector Spencer said since January there were 986 drink or drug drivers and 802 people driving without a licence or while disqualified and 3524 caught speeding drivers.

He said 134 of those were going more than 30km/h over the limit.

Last week’s results

• 39-year-old Claude Road man charged after allegedly driving while disqualified in Queenstown and refusing to undertake breath testing.

• 26-year-old Devonport woman charged after allegedly driving while disqualified.

• 39-year-old Rosebery man charged for allegedly evading police, speeding and driving without headlights in Wynyard.

• 38-year-old Devonport woman accused of driving while disqualified in Devonport.

• 35-year-old Sheffield woman allegedly caught driving in Railton and tested positive for methamphetamine.

• 42-year-old Wynyard man charged after he was allegedly caught drink driving in Somerset returning a reading of 0.094. He was arrested and charged.

• 41-year-old Shorewell Park man allegedly caught drink driving in Burnie returning a reading of 0.097.

• 26-year-old Penguin man and 25-year-old woman charged with multiple motor vehicle stealing, stealing, evade police, drug matters, breaches of bail, and driving while unlicensed offences.

• 29-year-old Devonport woman allegedly caught driving while disqualified in Ambleside.

• 47-year-old Ulverstone woman allegedly caught driving while disqualified in East Devonport.

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/tasmania-police-nab-thousands-of-drivers-for-bad-behaviour-on-tasmanian-roads/news-story/9cfd18722539ff8fadcbe92e76fb2028