Fewer people have been injured in road crashes during four days of a statewide road safety enforcement campaign, provisional NSW Police Force data has revealed., NSW Police say
Operation Safe Return 2017 was launched on Tuesday 24 January 2017 with NSW Police officers out in force on the state’s roads during the annual traffic campaign for Australia Day.
During the operation period, four lives have been lost on NSW roads. Six lives were lost on NSW roads during Operation Safe Return in 2016.
Acting Commander of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy, said fewer people had been injured in road crashes during the operation when compared with the previous year.
"At this point of Operation Safe Return, there have been 82 fewer reported major crashes and 44 less people injured, " Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
"The impacts of a crash where someone is seriously injured can last for some time when you consider rehabilitation, time away from work and the emotional costs of caring for an injured loved one.
"A concerning statistic is that 953 more people have been detected travelling above the speed limit for the four days of the operation to date, when compared to the same point in the 2016 campaign.
"Speeding contributes to many of the crashes on our roads that lead to people being killed or injured."
Since the start of Operation Safe Return 2017:
• 140,083 people have been breath tested
• 4596 infringements have been issued for speeding
• 6922 infringements have been issued (not speed related)
Some incidents included:
Greystanes: About 4.30pm yesterday, police from Holroyd Highway Patrol stopped a 22-year-old St Johns Park man after he was detected driving a white Holden Commodore on the Cumberland Highway at 137km/h. That section of the Cumberland Highway has a sign posted speed limit of 70km/h. He was issued an infringement notice for exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h and his licence was suspended for a period of six months. This infringement carries a fine of $2350 and 12 demerit points.
West Gosford: About 9.30pm yesterday, two vehicles travelling in the same direction on the Central Coast Highway collided. There were no reports of injury. It will be alleged the driver of the Holden Commodore, a 50-year-old man from Clare, tried to leave the scene but was found a short distance away. At the time the male driver had his 11-year-old daughter in the vehicle. It will be alleged the man refused a road side breath test. He was arrested and a subsequent breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.277. He will face Gosford Local Court on 8 March 2017 to answer allegations of driving with a high range PCA, negligent driving, fail to stop and refuse roadside breath test.
The operation commenced at 12.01am on Wednesday 25 January 2017 and concludes at 11.59pm today
today.
Double demerits will be in force throughout the period for speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences.
During the operation police want road users to think about the #Five2Arrive; five simple tips for road users in order to return home safely:
1. Don’t speed.
2. Don’t drink and drive
3. Wear a seatbelt
4. Put your phone away, and
5. Take regular breaks.
