Police are pleading with drivers to slow down after a number of high-speed incidents on the north coast.
About 8pm yesterday (Monday 7 September 2020), officers attached to Coffs/Clarence Traffic and Highway Patrol were conducting stationary speed enforcement northbound on the Pacific Highway at Urunga, when they noticed a gold Mitsubishi Verada travelling at approximately 175km/hr in a sign-posted 110km/hr zone.
Police stopped the vehicle and spoke with the 32-year-old male driver.
The P1 licence holder was issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for exceed speed limit over 45km/hr, fined $2,520 and six demerit points. His licence was also suspended.
Other examples of recent high-speed incidents include:
- About 5.30pm on Saturday (5 September 2020), Grafton Traffic and Highway Patrol officers were conducting patrols of Iluka Road when they noticed a blue Toyota Corolla travelling at approximately 152km/hr in a sign-posted 100km/hr zone. The P2 licenced driver – a 19-year-old woman – was issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for exceed speed limit over 45km/hr, fined $2,520 and six demerit points, she was also issued a Traffic Infringement Notice for not display p-plate and her licence was suspended.
- About 1.30pm on Thursday 27 August 2020, Mid North Coast Traffic and Highway Patrol officers were conducting stationary speed enforcement on Collombatti Road at Frederickton, when they noticed a silver Ford Territory travelling at approximately 101km/hr in a sign-posted 50km/hr zone. Police attempted to stop the vehicle before it sped away; officers activated their warning lights, with the Ford allegedly travelling at approximately 125km/hr. The vehicle stopped and police spoke with the driver – a 41-year-old man. He was issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for exceed speed limit over 45km/hr, fined $2,520 and six demerit points. His licence was also suspended. Officers continued stationary speed enforcement on that same road and caught another 10 motorists travelling above the sign-posted 50km/hr limit in a 90-minute period.
Coffs-Mid Coast Traffic Inspector, Peter McMenamin, said this sort of behaviour is not only reckless but potentially deadly.
"To date in the Coffs/Clarence and Mid North Coast Police Districts, 13 people have lost their lives in 2020 – while less people have been moving around the state due to the pandemic, traffic in Northern NSW will only increase as the weather warms up.
"You may have driven these roads for years, but that is no excuse – drivers forget that they are in control of a high-powered machine which can be deadly.
"Always drive to the conditions and within your limits, never have distractions around you, and never drive tired or impaired. School holidays are just around the corner, we need to drive to survive – do not race to your destination, it will still be there when you arrive," Insp McMenamin said.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.
