The four-day King's Birthday long weekend traffic operation has now concluded, with two lives lost on NSW roads.
A state-wide road policing operation ran throughout the King's Birthday long weekend beginning at 12.01am on Friday (7 June 2024) and ending at 11.59pm yesterday (Monday 10 June 2024).
With double demerits in force for the period, the high-visibility operation saw officers targeting speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone, helmet and other traffic offences.
Across the state, police issued 4,209 speed infringements, attended 255 major crashes, conducted 153,767 breath tests with 237 people charged with drink-driving, and recorded 654 positive drug detections.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden, said the type of behaviour shown by a small number of motorists is unacceptable.
"While the rest of the state abides by the road rules, these few irresponsible drivers are extremely lucky they did not harm themselves or other road users," Assistant Commissioner McFadden said.
"Over the weekend, two people lost their lives in separate crashes at Bateau Bay and Tomingley. While this is significantly less than the same period last year, it is still one life too many.
"While the operation has now concluded, rest assured – we will continue to have our officers proactively patrolling the streets to take the appropriate action against those who drive dangerously, " Assistant Commissioner McFadden said.
Significant incidents from the four-day operation include:
About 4.20pm yesterday (Monday 10 June 2024), a 23-year-old man was detected allegedly travelling at 174km/h in a 60km/h zone along Conrod Straight, Mount Panorama. Officers from Bathurst Highway Patrol stopped the Maserati Ghibli where the driver was served with a Court Attendance Notice for Class A motor vehicle exceed speed more than 45 km/h estimated and is due to appear in Bathurst Local Court on Wednesday 10 July 2024. His Western Australia driving privileges were withdrawn and the registration plates confiscated.
About 4.30pm on Saturday 8 June 2024, officers attached to Illawarra Highway Patrol stopped the rider of an unregistered motorcycle travelling along Oak Street, Albion Park Rail. Police spoke with the man who was not wearing a helmet and had his five-year-old son as the pillion passenger. The man was subjected to a roadside breath test which returned a positive result. A roadside drug test returned a positive result for cannabis and cocaine. He was arrested and taken to Oak Flats Police Station where a breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.027. Checks revealed the man's drivers' licence is disqualified. He was charged with special category driver drive with special-range PCA, and drive motor vehicle during disqualification period. He was given conditional bail to appear before Kiama Local Court on Monday 1 July 2024. He was issued five infringement notices for ride motor bike with passenger under eight years not in sidecar, ride motor bike rider not wear / secure fit approved helmet, use vehicle on road or road related area motor vehicle tax not paid, use uninsured motor vehicle on road and use unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on road, which carries a total fine of $3090.
About 3.30pm on Saturday 8 June 2024, numerous calls were made to police after a Mitsubishi Outlander was seen swerving along Tocal Road, Paterson. Members of the public followed the vehicle to a service station on Paterson Road, Bolwarra, where they observed the driver open his door and allegedly fall onto the roadway. Officers attached to Maitland Highway Patrol attended and located the driver – a 48-year-old man – exiting the service station. He was subjected to a roadside breath test which returned a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station where a breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.307. He was charged with drive with high-range PCA and will appear before Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 10 July 2024.
About 2.40pm on Friday 7 June 2024, officers attached to Kuring Gai Highway Patrol were performing stationary RBT on Eastern Arterial Road, St Ives, when they observed a Honda Civic that was driving toward them in a school zone, perform a U-turn and drive in the opposite direction. Police stopped the driver – a 46-year-old woman – on Lowry Street, where she was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result. The woman was arrested and taken to the mobile breath testing unit where a breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.164. She was charged with drive with high-range PCA and will appear before Hornsby Local Court on Thursday 25 July 2024.
About 12.30pm on Saturday 8 June 2024, a Toyota Camry was stopped by officers attached to Dubbo Highway Patrol, on the Golden Highway, Dubbo. The driver was subjected to a roadside breath and drug test which returned a negative result. During a search of the vehicle, police located almost $70,000 in cash throughout different compartments within the vehicle and three illegal Victorian registration plates. Police arrested the driver – a 31-year-old man – who was taken to Dubbo Police Station and charged with three counts unlawfully possess thing resembles number plate, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen and recklessly deal with proceeds of crime more than $5000. He was refused bail to appear before Dubbo Local Court on Sunday 9 June 2024 where he was formally refused bail to appear before the same court on Tuesday 11 June 2024.
Just before 10pm on Saturday 8 June 2024, officers attached to Hunter Valley Highway Patrol were conducting stationary RBT on Mayne Street, Murrurundi, and signalled for the driver of a Holden Colorado to enter the testing sight. Police will allege the driver did not stop and accelerated away. A pursuit was initiated which continued towards Willow Tree at speeds in excess of 175km/h. The vehicle came to a stop on Merriwa Road, Willow Tree, and the driver – a 26-year-old man – was arrested. He was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result. He was taken to Quirindi Police Station where a breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.173. He was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive at speed and drive with high range PCA. He was given conditional bail to appear before Scone Local Court on Wednesday 10 July 2024.
About 5.30pm on Saturday 8 June 2024, officers attached to Albury Highway Patrol stopped a 21-year-old man on Wodonga Place, Albury for the purpose of a random drug test which returned a positive. He was arrested and taken to Albury Police Station where a secondary drug test indicated an alleged positive result for cocaine, cannabis and methamphetamine. He was issued with a 24-hour prohibition notice from driving and police are awaiting results.
Total Traffic Infringement Notices: 11,557
Speed infringements: 4209
Breath tests: 153,767
PCA charges: 237
Positive drug-driving tests: 654
Major crashes: 255
Fatalities: 2
REGIONAL STATISTICS
Northern Region
Total infringements: 2093
Speed infringements: 1356
Breath tests: 30,176
PCA charges: 74
Positive drug-driving tests: 142
Major crashes: 45
Fatalities: 1
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Southern Region
Total infringements: 1977
Speed infringements: 983
Breath tests: 30,087
PCA charges: 38
Positive drug-driving tests: 151
Major crashes: 29
Fatalities: 0
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Western Region
Total infringements: 1094
Speed infringements: 454
Breath tests: 13,599
PCA charges: 26
Positive drug-driving tests: 94
Major crashes: 32
Fatalities: 1
