Police have urged the community to be safer and more considerate on the road after a significant number of dangerous driving incidents were detected across the state during the Australia Day long weekend.
Operation Australia Day 2025 commenced on Friday (24 January 2025) and concluded 11.59pm on Monday (27 January 2025).
Double demerit points were in effect for the duration of the operation with police targeting drivers for speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone usage and seatbelt offences.
Police from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, with officers from Police Area Commands and Police Districts, were out in force patrolling roads across the state, focusing on dangerous and risky driving behaviour – with the aim of preventing injury and death.
During the operation, police saw a concerning number of unsafe and reckless driving incidents.
Police issued 3742 speed infringements, conducted 114,750 breath tests with 259 people charged with drink-driving, 598 positive roadside drug detections, and attended 312 major crashes, resulting in 97 people injured.
Two people died on NSW roads, compared to four for the same period the previous year.
There were 355 mobile phone infringements, 186 restraint infringement and 6,180 other infringements issued to drivers.
Minister For Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley thanked every officer who was out over the long weekend helping to make our state a safer place.
"While most drivers did the right thing, unfortunately police continue to see concerning behaviours on our roads," Minister Catley said.
"Police will continue to have a zero-tolerance approach to anyone doing the wrong thing on the road. Drivers can always expect a highly visible police presence, targeting speeding, drink, drug, distracted and dangerous driving and fatigue."
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman, said police will continue to target behaviour that endangers lives on NSW roads across the summer period.
"We are concerned with the number of drivers putting other road users, who are doing the right thing, at risk because of their dangerous driving," Acting Assistant Commissioner Chapman said.
"NSW Police have a zero-tolerance approach to those who chose to disobey road rules that are in place to keep all road users safe.
"We will continue to be highly visibility across the state targeting and taking action against those who think they can ignore the road rules and can break the law."
Incidents of note:
- At 9.30am on Friday 24 January 2025, Mount Druitt Highway Patrol were performing stationary random breath testing on Eastern Road, Rooty Hill. Police checked the licence of a 48-year-old man, revealing he was allegedly disqualified from driving from 2014 until 2059. The man was charged with drive motor vehicle during disqualification period. He was issued with a field court attendance notice to attend Mount Druitt Local Court on Monday 17 February 2025.
- Shortly before 5.30pm on Friday 24 January 2025, police from Auburn Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on Edwin Flack Ave, Sydney Olympic Park, for random testing. Licence checks allegedly revealed the driver, a 36-year-old man, held a suspended NSW learner permit. He was issued with a Court Attendance Notice and advised not to drive. A short time later, police allegedly sighted the man driving on Birnie Ave, Lidcombe. He was stopped again and arrested. The man was taken to Auburn Police Station and charged with drive motor vehicle while licence suspended (two counts). He was granted conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Tuesday 18 February 2025.
- About 12am on Saturday 25 January 2025, officers from Sutherland Police Area Command were called to Carrawarra Road, Caringbah, following reports a driver crashed into a pole and parked vehicle. The driver - a 67-year-old woman - allegedly returned a positive roadside breath test. She was arrested and taken to Miranda Police Station where she underwent a breath analysis which allegedly returned a reading of 0.191. She was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice to attend Sutherland Local Court on Thursday 20 February 2025 and her licence was suspended.
- About 12.45am on Saturday 25 January 2025, a vehicle was detected allegedly travelling at 207km/h in a signposted 100km/h zone on the M2 Motorway at Baulkham Hills. The driver, a 24-year-old man, was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous and class A motor vehicle exceed speed more than 45 km/h. He will appear at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday 20 February 2025. His licence was suspended.
- About 7.20am on Saturday 25 January 2025, police from Riverina Highway Patrol attended the Hume Highway, Tumblong, after a B-trailer separated from the combination. The B trailer travelled about 100 metres before it left the roadway and rolled onto its side. The driver, a 42-year-old man, was subjected to roadside testing, which allegedly returned a positive indication to methamphetamine. An inspection of the driver's work diary allegedly revealed a fatigue-related breach. The man was issued a 24-hour prohibition notice and an infringement notice for the breach. Both trailers were issued defect notices and were towed from the scene.
- Shortly before 6.30pm on Saturday January 25, 2025, officers from Brisbane Water Highway Patrol stopped a hatchback on Baker Street, Gosford, for random testing. The driver, a 45-year-old man, was allegedly unable to produce a licence before returning a positive result to methamphetamine during a roadside drug test. The man was arrested and issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for the charge of driver never licensed. He is due to appear at Gosford Local Court on Tuesday 25 February 2025.
- About 1.50am on Sunday 26 January 2025, officers attached to Campbelltown Highway Patrol detected a vehicle allegedly travelling at 105km/h in a signposted 80km/h zone on The Northern Road, Bringelly. Police stopped the sedan, and the driver, a 21-year-old man, produced a NSW learner licence. He was allegedly unsupervised, and no L-plates displayed. The man was subjected to a roadside breath test, which allegedly tested positive. He was taken to Narellan Police Station where he was subjected to a breath analysis allegedly returned a reading of 0.117 and he allegedly tested positive to cannabis. He was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for drive with mid range prescribed concentration of alcohol and illicit drug; drive with mid range prescribed concentration of alcohol; learner not accompanied by driver/police officer/tester; learner exceed speed more than 20km/h and learner driver not display L-plates as prescribed. He will appear before Picton Local Court on Thursday 20 February 2025.
- About 2.30am on Sunday 26 January 2025, police from Merrylands Highway Patrol attempted to stop a SUV on Blacktown Road, Blacktown. The vehicle allegedly failed to stop, and a pursuit was initiated. The driver failed to negotiate a round-about at the intersection of Walters Road and Newton Road and crashed into a power pole and boundary fence. The driver ran form the car and was arrested a short time later. The driver was taken to Blacktown Police Station and charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously and drive when visiting driver privileges withdrawn. He was refused bail to appear at Blacktown Local Court on Tuesday 28 January 2025.
- About 4:40pm on Sunday 26 January 2025, officers attached to Albury Highway Patrol allegedly detected a vehicle travelling at 200km/h in a signposted 110km/h zone on the Hume Highway, Table Top. The vehicle was stopped and the driver, a 23-year-old man, was issued with infringement notices for exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h, failing to keep left unless overtaking, and for failing to display P-plates. His licence was suspended for six months.
- About 5:30pm on Sunday 26 January 2025, officers attached to Hawkesbury Highway Patrol allegedly detected a vehicle on The Driftway, Agnes Banks, travelling at 119km/h in a signposted 80km/h zone. The female P-plater stopped, and police noticed a mobile phone in a cradle mounted to the dash, which is prohibited by provisional drivers. There were also allegedly no P-plates displayed on the vehicle. The driver returned positive results for a roadside drug test to methamphetamine. She was issued a Traffic Infringement Notice for exceed speed limit, mobile phone use and no P-plates displayed. Her licence was suspended.
- About 7.30pm on Sunday 26 January 2025, officers from New England Highway Patrol were conducting speed enforcement on the Carnarvon Highway, near the township of Ashley, north of Moree. Police allegedly detected a driver travelling 190km/h in a signposted 100km/h zone. The driver - a 50-year-old man - was issued with a Traffic Infringement Notice for exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h. His licence was suspended for six months, and the vehicle's registration plates were seized.
- About 9.30am on Monday 27 January 2025, officers from Surry Hills Police Area Command were conducting stationary random breath testing on Anzac Parade, Moore Park, when they stopped a driver, a 43-year-old man. He allegedly returned a positive result and was taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he allegedly returned a reading of 0.05. The man was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for drive with long range prescribed concentration of alcohol and he was suspended from driving for three months. He will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday 6 March 2025.
- About 12.35pm on Monday 27 January 2025, officers attached to Northern Beaches Highway Patrol stopped a van travelling in Audrey Street, Balgowlah, for roadside testing. The driver, a 27-year-old man, was allegedly unable to produce a driver's licence. Checks revealed the man was allegedly the holder of an international driver's licence, where his NSW driver privileges had been removed since 2023. The man was issued a field court attendance notice for drive when visiting driver privileges withdrawn. He will appear at Manly Local Court on Wednesday 12 February 2025.
- About 4pm on Monday 27 January 2025, officers from Raymond Terrace Highway Patrol allegedly detected a driver in a stolen station wagon travelling 102km/h in a signposted 80km/h zone on Nelson Bay Road, Bobs Farm. A driver, a 23-year-old man, allegedly produced an expired licence. During a search the vehicle, police allegedly located and seized a 32cm knife. He was taken to Nelson Bay Police Station where he was refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on Tuesday 28 January 2025.
REGIONAL STATISTICS
Northern Region
Speed infringements: 1125
Breath tests: 21,921
Positive drug-driving tests: 133
PCA charges: 70
Major crashes: 61
Fatalities: 0
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Southern Region
Speed infringements: 873
Breath tests: 17,783
Positive drug-driving tests: 115
PCA charges: 44
Major crashes: 37
Fatalities: 1
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Western Region
Speed infringements: 462
Breath tests: 10,252
Positive drug-driving tests: 97
PCA charges: 22
Major crashes: 14
Fatalities: 1
