Leeton Road Safety Officer, Stephanie Puntoriero, is urging people attending Australia Day celebrations or enjoying the holiday with family and friends to celebrate safely.
Double demerit points will apply from midnight Friday 24 January until midnight Monday 27 January 2025.
Mrs Puntoriero says, "All motorists should take care when travelling over the holiday period as the roads will be busy. Don't risk losing your licence. Double demerits will be enforced for speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and/or motorcycle helmet and mobile phone offences."
"Speed was a contributing factor in over 22.1 per cent of all crashes in Leeton Shire and fatigue contributed to 17.6 per cent of all crashes in Leeton in the last five years. We have also seen a rise in crashes where alcohol is involved previously sitting at 6.4 percent but now reaching 11 percent.
"No one plans to have a crash. By planning your journey and building in regular rest breaks you can safely arrive at your destination without speeding or driving when tired. Research shows that being awake for about 17 hours has a similar effect on your driving as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05," she said.
Driver reviver sites will be operating throughout the region and NSW over the Australia Day holiday period, providing motorists the opportunity to take a break and have a free cuppa and a chat before getting back on the road.
