Traffic and Highway and Patrol officers are urging motorists to slow down and take care following a horror week on NSW roads.
In the week between Tuesday 27 October and Monday 2 November 2026, police across the state attended eight different crashes resulting in the deaths of nine people.
A further three people died in two separate crashes on Tuesday 3 November 2026.
291 people have died on NSW roads this year to date and police have attended thousands of crashes across the state.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said police can issue fines, suspend licences and take dangerous drivers off NSW roads, but they cannot make the decision to slow down for you.
"Nine people have died on NSW roads in just one week. That means nine families are now facing the unimaginable heartbreak of losing someone they love.
"I was shocked to learn that one vehicle was clocked travelling at 216km/h in an 80km/h zone: this is beyond reckless and it was a decision that put every other person on that road at risk.
"Our Traffic and Highway Patrol Command officers are out there every day trying to prevent these tragedies. They're also the ones who have to knock on a family's door and deliver the worst news imaginable.
"As we head towards Christmas, the NSW Government and NSW Police are asking every driver to think about the people waiting for them at home. No appointment, no deadline and no destination is worth a life," Minister Catley said.
Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Assistant Commissioner David Driver APM, said speed was consistently a key factor when it came to the survival of road users during a crash.
"The reality is crashing at speed is fatal for many people and it's avoidable. The faster a vehicle is travelling at impact, the greater the risk of death and serious injury.
"We don't want more officers having to knock on doors and tell families their loved ones aren't coming home; however, if drivers don't take their safety and the safety of others seriously then more knocks are inevitable.
"As we head into the Christmas/New Year festive season, we know people will be tempted to rush to get things done. That might include going over the speed limit or running amber or red lights. The reality is, this won't really save you any time, but it could "call time" on someone's life," Assistant Commissioner Driver said.
Incidents of dangerous driving this week included,
- About 2.45pm on Saturday 24 October 2026, officers attached to Campbelltown Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were conducting speed enforcement duties on Emerald Drive, Eagle Vale, when they detected a white sedan allegedly travelling at 131km/h in a sign-posted 50km/h zone.
Police stopped the vehicle and the driver – a 20-year-old man – was issued a Court Attendance Notice for drive speed dangerous, P2 driver exceed speed greater than 45km/h, provisional driver drive high-performance vehicle, and not display P plates. He will appear before Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday 17 November 2026.
- About 7.30pm on Tuesday 27 October 2026, officers attached to Camden Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were conducting speed enforcement duties on the Northern Road, Luddenham, when they detected a motorcycle allegedly travelling at 216km/h in a sign-posted 80km/h zone.
Police stopped the motorcycle a short time later and the rider – a 37-year-old man – was issued a Court Attendance Notice for drive at a speed manner dangerous, and exceed speed limit greater than 45km/h. His licence was also suspended. He will appear before Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday 18 November 2026.
- About 11am Thursday 29 October 2026, officers attached to the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Strike Force Puma, responded to complaints of trail bikes being ridden dangerously on the M7 Motorway at Horsley Park. With the assistance of PolAir, the motorcycles were monitored along the M7 Motorway, M5 Motorway, Heathcote Road, Newbridge Road, The Horsley Drive and Hume Highway as they continued to ride dangerously.
About 1.15pm, the motorcycles were seen in a carpark on Community Place, Greenacre, and – with the assistance of PolAir and the Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS) – strike force officers arrested two men aged 18 and 22. The younger man has been charged with drive recklessly/furiously or speed manner dangerous, drive without proper controls of vehicle, use unsafe or unserviceable vehicle on road, rider without helmet ride with one passenger without helmet, owner use unregistered vehicle on road/road related area, use uninsured motor vehicle on road, and class A motor vehicle exceed speed greater than 45km/h.
The 22-year-old man was charged with drive recklessly/furiously or speed manner dangerous, drive without proper controls of vehicle, use class A vehicle number plate not correctly fixed, and class A motor vehicle exceed speed greater than 45km/h. Both men will appear before Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday 11 November 2026.
- About 1am on Saturday 31 October 2026, officers attached to Richmond Police District Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were conducting speed enforcement duties on the M1 Motorway, Tyagarah, east of Byron Bay, when they detected a silver hatchback allegedly driving well above the speed limit. Police attempted to stop the vehicle, but when the driver allegedly failed to stop as directed a pursuit was initiated.
The pursuit continued south on the M1 Motorway before heading onto to the Bruxner Highway at West Ballina. The pursuit continued towards Ballina where road spikes were successfully deployed near Kays Lane. The vehicle came to a stop, and a 27-year-old woman was arrested.
At the time of the arrest the woman's eight-year-old son was found in the car's back seat.
The woman was taken to Ballina Police Station where she was subjected a random drug test that returned a positive reading to methamphetamine.
She was charged with drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously (second offence), use unregistered registerable Class A vehicle on road, use class A vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixed, drive recklessly/furiously or speed manner dangerous, and take action that results in emotional/intellectual damage. She was refused bail to appear before court on the same day where she granted conditional bail to appear before Ballina Local Court on Thursday 12 November 2026.
