Media Release Archive
Operation Drink Drive II – Rural roads targeted
Tuesday, 03 Nov 2009 11:01amPolice are warning the public that they will be caught if they choose to drink and drive this weekend, with police out in force for operation ‘Drink Drive II’.
With this year’s road toll climbing well above last year’s record low of 386, motorists can expect a formidable police presence on rural roads to address the concerning rise in fatal crashes.
The operation will commence at 00.01 on Thursday 5 November and run until 23.59 on Saturday 7 November.
With alcohol impairment proven to be a leading cause of fatal crashes, the operation will target drink driving offences as well as other irresponsible driving behaviour in the lead up to the busy Christmas and New Years driving season.
Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, Commander of Traffic Services Branch, said people need to be responsible for their own actions when getting behind the wheel.
“There are no excuses. A car can be a deadly weapon and people who drive when drunk risk the lives of not only themselves but other road-users.”
“It is an extraordinarily selfish thing to do, you are risking your own safety and that of others,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.
During last year’s operation, police conducted 111,423 breath tests with 469 charges laid for drink driving offences.
NORTHERN REGION
Northern New South Wales leads the state when it comes to both drink driving and alcohol related crashes.
In 2008, Tweed/Byron Local Area Command recorded 1,228 Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol (PCA) offences - the highest of anywhere in the state. This was followed by Newcastle City with 1,026 offences and Coffs/Clarence with 783 PCA offences detected.
Statistics for alcohol related injury or fatal crashes in 2008 paint a similar damning picture for the northern region, with Coffs/Clarence LAC recording the highest number in the state with 117 crashes, followed by Tweed/Byron with 112 and Brisbane Water with 110 crashes.
The top ten Local Area Commands for alcohol related injury or fatal crashes all fall within the Northern Region.
Northern Region Traffic Coordinator, Senior Sergeant William Darnell, said these figures are unacceptable.
“To lead the state in these figures is really disappointing.
“While our figures have improved on last year’s, alcohol still plays a predominant role in injury or fatal crashes.
“People who insist on continuing with this irresponsible behaviour can expect to find themselves in a cell this weekend.”
“It’s essential that people plan their social outings responsibly.” Senior Sergeant Darnell said.
SOUTHERN REGION
Roads in the southern region will be under intense police scrutiny during the operation in an attempt to curb the rising road toll. All police in the southern region will participate in the operation, with significant levels of stationary and mobile Random Breath Testing being conducted in every Local Area Command.
During last year’s operation, police in the southern region conducted 27,255 breath tests, resulting in 65 PCA charges. Many of these charges were for high range drink driving, with drivers being many times over the legal limit.
The operation period was fatality free for the region last year; however there were still 13 people injured in crashes.
Southern Region traffic co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Gregory Lynch says police hope to maintain the fatality free period this year.
“To date 78 people have lost their lives in the southern region in 2009 and we wish to keep that number to a minimum,” Senior Sergeant Lynch said.
“But it can be a difficult task when during the operation last year some 506 motorists were reported for speeding, 65 for not wearing seat belts and 517 for other driving offences”.
Police will not only focus on major cities, but also on small rural and regional townships within the region, and will target everyone and anyone behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
“Novice drivers in particular; your alcohol limit is zero. If you intend to drink – don’t drive. Don’t try to work out the amounts of standard drinks per hour. Either don’t drink or don’t drive.
“Compare the risk, .05 to .08 doubles the risk of a crash, .08 to .15 quadruples the risk and if a driver is over .15 they are 25 times the risk of having a crash. It’s not worth it!” Senior Sergeant Lynch said.
Particular attention will be paid to Local Area Commands such as Lake Illawarra, Monaro and Far South Coast, which regularly record high levels of these offences.
WESTERN REGION
With 85 people killed in the western region so far this year, western region traffic co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Mal Unicomb says that police will be holding nothing back in their efforts to nab drink drivers in western New South Wales.
“We’ve had 45 more people die on western region roads this year than last year, it’s atrocious,” Senior Sergeant Unicomb said.
“Many of these fatalities can be blamed on alcohol or drug impaired drivers so we will be throwing everything we’ve got at this operation.
“Because of the lack of public transport in our region it’s essential people make alternative travel arrangements when they go out and drink, whether it’s arranging a designated driver or sleeping over if you’re at a party,” Senior Sergeant Unicomb said.
Oxley Local Area Command had the most PCA charges in the Western Region in 2008, with 444 offences. This was followed by New England LAC with 394 charges and then Chiefly LAC with 352 offences.