Senior police are reminding road-users that although Australia Day has finished, Operation Safe Return and double-demerits will continue until Sunday, NSW Police say.
On Australia Day yesterday - Day Two of Operation Safe Return – there were no fatal crashes recorded throughout the day; however, drivers continue to make poor decisions on our roads.
The death toll this year stands at 22 lives lost in 26 days on NSW roads.
Acting Commander of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy, said that the road toll is sure to increase if people don’t slow down and drive sensibly.
"Australia Day has finished, but Operation Safe Return has not. Police will be out in increased numbers until the end of the weekend enforcing speed, mobile phone, seatbelts, and other behaviours that are costing lives on our roads.
"I am encouraged by the fact that no fatal crashes were recorded on Australia Day, however, with the ludicrous behaviour we saw on our roads it seems like this was pure luck.
"After 384 lives were lost on NSW roads last year, an increase to this number is unacceptable.
"If people don’t learn to slow down and stop driving like idiots, we are going to see the death toll increase again this year," Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
Operation Safe Return, the Australia Day road safety enforcement campaign, concludes at 11.59pm on Sunday (29 January 2017).
Double demerits are in force for speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences.
Some examples of the poor decisions made by drivers on Australia Day yesterday were:
-About 5.20pm, a 38-year-old man with an eight-year-old passenger allegedly did a 30 metre burnout in a Holden Commodore on Wrench Street, Cambridge Park before losing control and crashing into a tree. He was trapped in the car for an hour before being taken to Westmead Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The eight-year-old passenger was taken to hospital for assessment. Inquiries are continuing.
-About 11.45pm, a 41-year-old woman driving a Holden Commodore allegedly crashed into a set of traffic lights on Sydenham Road, Marrickville. She was treated for minor injuries before being arrested and taken to Newtown Police Station where she allegedly returned a breath analysis of 0.185. She was charged with high range PCA, failing to carry a licence, driving without headlights, driving an unregistered vehicle, not obeying the direction of police and not wearing a seatbelt. She is due to appear at Newtown Local Court on 21 February 2017.
-About 11.45am, a 35-year-old man driving a red Chrysler Neon allegedly ignored a direction to pull into an RBT site on Queen Street, Berry, before crashing into a car. He was arrested and taken to Nowra Police Station where he was charged with numerous offences; including, fail to stop at RBT, drive whilst disqualified, negligent driving, and three outstanding warrants. He was refused bail and is due to appear at Nowra Local Court today.
-About 7.30am, 21-year-old man was allegedly detected speeding at 132km/h in a 60km/h zone on Brabham Drive at Eastern Creek. The driver was issued an infringement for driving more than 45km/h, had his licence suspended and plates removed from his car.
