Seven people lost their lives on NSW roads during Operation Safe Arrival, 21 fewer than the same time last year.
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Safe Arrival, the annual Christmas/New Year road safety operation, began on Friday, December 21, and ended on Tuesday.
Twenty-eight lives were lost during Operation Safe Arrival 2017-2018.
Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said a highly-visible police presence in country areas was the key to fewer lives being lost on NSW roads.
He said highway patrol officers worked closely with local general duties police to maintain a presence on feeder roads to major rural routes.
He said police were disturbed by the number of young male provisional licence holders who were detected travelling at more than 45kph over the speed limit during Safe Arrival.
Making news:
Assistant Commissioner Corboy said the closing days of the operation were highlighted by some extraordinarily bad choices made by drivers.
“Some of the decisions made by drivers in NSW have left even the most seasoned highway patrol officers flabbergasted,” he said.
“We had situations where inexperienced drivers were detected at almost double the speed limit, others where infants were not properly restrained – what does it take to get the message through?
“Travelling at the signposted speeds and ensuring everyone in the vehicle wears a seatbelt reduces the risk of being seriously hurt if you are involved in a crash.”
Locally on New Year’s Day, police coordinated by Traffic and Highway Patrol Command conducted a random breath test operation on Peats Ridge Road near the site of the Lost Paradise Music Festival.
Officers conducted 450 breath and drug tests.
Five breath tests for alcohol returned positive results while 59 drivers returned a positive detection to an illicit substance in their oral fluid.
Fifty-seven people were given a 24-hour prohibition from driving notice. Police are awaiting the results of laboratory testing to determine if 59 drivers will have legal action taken against them.
The cumulative statistics for the holiday period.-
- total infringements issued (not speeding): 20,238;
- restraint infringements: 1636;
- speed infringements: 11,812;
- breath tests: 541,059;
- drink-driving charges: 759;
- lives lost: 7.