NSW Police are reminding drivers about their responsibility to drive safely after three people died on the roads across the ANZAC Day long weekend.
The ANZAC Day traffic operation commenced at 12.01am last Friday (21 April 2023) and concluded at 11.59pm yesterday (Tuesday 25 April 2023).
Double demerit points were in force for the duration of the operation for speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt, and motorcycle helmet offences.
The Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, together with local police, patrolled roads across the state, targeting double demerit offences and the Fours Ds – drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving – with the aim of preventing injury and death.
During the period, police saw a number of dangerous driving incidents, including excessive speed, drink-driving, and reckless driving.
Across the state, police issued 3,454 speed infringements, laid 262 drink-driving charges, attended 341 major crashes, and conducted more than 134,000 breath tests.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden, said that despite a well- publicised traffic safety campaign leading up to Anzac Day, there were still some drivers who either missed the messaging or believed traffic laws and road safety did not apply to them.
"I find it incomprehensible that there are still some drivers out there that make choices that put not only their own lives at risk, but the lives of other road users, pedestrians and first responders at risk," Assistant Commissioner McFadden said.
Police will continue to run these operations in order to keep the community safe and target dangerous and irresponsible driving behaviour.
Some items of interest during the operation include:
- At 12.50pm on Sunday 23 April 2023, officers from Traffic & Highway Patrol Command were conducting speed enforcement duties on the Hume Highway between Casula and Goulburn. Police allegedly detected a Holden Calais sedan travelling in a southerly direction at Mittagong travelling at 197km/h in the sign posted 110 km/h area. Police caught up to and stopped the vehicle identifying the driver as a 33-year-old man. The man will appear at Mittagong Local Court on Tuesday 30 May 2023 for the offences of drive vehicle at a speed dangerous to the public and Exceed speed over 45 km/h – lidar. The man's licence was suspended for six months and the number plates from his vehicle confiscated for 3 months.
- About 2.20am on Sunday 24 April 2023, police attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command saw a white Holden Astra sedan stopped on Bondi Road, Bondi Beach. When police went up to the vehicle, they noted that the driver, a 32-year-old man, appeared to be asleep at the wheel. The driver was awoken and subjected to a road-side breath test, which he allegedly failed. He was arrested and taken to Waverley Police Station, where he underwent a breath analysis which returned a high-range reading of 0.153. As a provisional licence holder, he is subject to a zero-alcohol level. He will appear before Waverley Local Court on Tuesday 16 May 2023 for the offences of drive with high range PCA and not comply P2 licence condition and his driving privileges in NSW were revoked.
- About 5.00am yesterday (Tuesday 25th April 2023), officers from Fairfield Highway Patrol were assisting with road closures on Anzac Avenue at Fairfield as part of Anzac Day commemorations. Police saw a silver Toyota Kluger driving on three wheels along Lawson Street Fairfield, past where the parade was forming up. This vehicle had the front left-hand tyre completely missing from the rim along with substantial front-end damage. Police began following the vehicle, following the gouge marks on the roadway. Police located the vehicle in the carpark of Fairfield Leisure Centre. A short time later police arrested the driver, a 38-year-old man. Inquiries revealed the man was a disqualified driver and the vehicle had been reported stolen from Croydon and the number plates attached to the vehicle were allegedly stolen from another vehicle in Ashfield. The man allegedly failed a roadside sobriety test and was taken to hospital for mandatory testing. He was then taken to Fairfield Police Station where he was charged with take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, receiving stolen property, not stop at red light, unlawfully possess number plates, drive whilst disqualified, drive manner dangerous and receive motor vehicle part. He was refused bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court today (Wednesday 26 April 2023). Police will await the results of the mandatory tests.
- About 4.00pm yesterday, police received numerous calls regarding a white Hyundai sedan driving on the incorrect side of the road on the New England Highway, Bendemeer. Police stopped the vehicle on Glenburnie Road, Kentucky. The driver, a 28-year-old woman, was subjected to a roadside test which allegedly returned a positive reading. She was arrested and taken to Uralla Police Station, where she underwent a breath analysis, returning a high range reading of 0.306 – more than six times the legal limit. Her licence was suspended.
- At 9.00pm yesterday, police were called to Gainsford Drive, Kellyville in response to a single vehicle crash. Police found the driver, a 38-year-old man, allegedly asleep in the passenger seat. He was subjected to a roadside breath test which allegedly returned a positive reading. The man was arrested and conveyed to Castle Hill Police Station, where he underwent a breath analysis that returned a high range reading of 0.341 – nearly seven time the legal limit. His licence was suspended.
Key statistics state-wide total:
Total Traffic Infringement Notices: 11,206
Speed infringements: 3454
Seat Belt offences: 259
Mobile phone offences: 322
Positive drug driving detections: 316
Breath tests: 134,304
PCA charges: 262
Major crashes: 341
Fatalities: 3
REGION STATISTICS
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Central Metro Region
Total infringements – 1644
Restraint Infringements – 45
Mobile phone infringements – 54
Speed infringements – 253
Breath Tests – 27266
PCA charges – 44
Fatal Crashes – 0
Reported major crashes – 57
People injured – 12
North West Metro Region
Total infringements – 1960
Restraint Infringements – 54
Mobile phone infringements – 98
Speed infringements – 439
Breath Tests – 22000
PCA charges – 50
Fatal Crashes – 0
Reported major crashes – 84
People injured – 13
South West Metro Region
Total infringements – 1905
Restraint Infringements – 55
Mobile phone infringements – 81
Speed infringements – 513
Breath Tests – 22043
PCA charges – 29
Fatal Crashes – 0
Reported major crashes – 68
People injured – 15
Northern Region
Total infringements – 2435
Restraint Infringements – 32
Mobile phone infringements – 42
Speed infringements – 774
Breath Tests – 23352
PCA charges – 67
Fatal Crashes – 1
Lives Lost – 1
Reported major crashes – 65
People injured – 32
Western Region
Total infringements – 1171
Restraint Infringements – 23
Mobile phone infringements – 9
Speed infringements – 506
Breath Tests – 12844
PCA charges – 24
Fatal Crashes – 1
Lives Lost – 1
Reported major crashes – 26
People injured – 21
Southern Region
Total infringements – 2091
Restraint Infringements – 50
Mobile phone infringements – 38
Speed infringements – 969
Breath Tests – 23947
PCA charges – 48
Fatal Crashes – 1
Lives Lost – 1
Reported major crashes – 41
People injured – 16
