Police have wrapped up a high-visibility traffic operation following the long weekend.
NSW Police had a high-visibility presence across the state for Operation King's Birthday 2026, which was conducted from 12.01am Friday 5 June 2026 to 11.59pm Monday 8 June 2026.
The police operation involved officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command with the assistance of general duties and specialist police from all commands and districts across the state.
A double demerit period targeting speeding, mobile phone use, seatbelt and helmet offences was also in place for the same time period.
Over the long weekend two people lost their lives, which occurred in the northern and southern regions, with 279 major crashes reported.
Across the state, police conducted more than 248,378 breath tests, with 303 drink driving offences and conducted 8,288 drug tests with 788 drug driving offences detected.
Police issued 11,806 traffic infringement notices, including 3,890 for speed related offences, 455 for mobile phone usage, and 211 restraint offences.
The Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said the long weekend road safety operation had concluded but urged continued caution on the roads.
"Road safety is everyone's responsibility, and over the long weekend we saw the majority of motorists make safe, sensible choices that kept themselves and others safe," Minister Catley said.
"The strong police presence across the road network made a real difference. That visibility helped reinforce safe behaviour and played an important role in making sure people got home safely.
"While the operation has now concluded, the message remains the same – road safety should be front of mind for all drivers every day, and police will continue to enforce the laws to keep people safe."
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner David Driver said officers were out in force across the long weekend targeting dangerous driving behaviour.
"The vast majority of motorists did the right thing, but too many still took unnecessary risks on our roads," Assistant Commissioner Driver.
"This operation was about visibility, deterrence and ensuring drivers understood the consequences of speeding, drink/drug driving and distraction.
"Every driver stopped for speeding and tested for drugs and alcohol contributes to safer roads."
Incidents of note:
About 4.55am on Friday 5 June 2026, officers attached to Leichhardt Police Area Command attempted to stop a Volkswagen SUV on Bridge Road, Glebe. When it allegedly failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated. During the pursuit the SUV was allegedly travelling at 104km/h in a signposted 40km/h zone. A short time later after the pursuit was terminated, the Volkswagen SUV collided with an oncoming vehicle near the Pyrmont Bridge Road off-ramp, Anzac Bridge. The driver then left the scene but was arrested a short time later on Miller Street, Ultimo. Police allege the Volkswagen SUV was stolen from a break and enter at a property in Concord earlier this month. The driver – a 33-year-old man - was taken to St Vincents Hospital for treatment under police guard, after he appeared to be suffering from a medical episode. He was later discharged and taken to Glebe Police Station where he was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, drive conveyance without consent of owner, and not give particulars to other driver. He was also charged with an outstanding warrant for a shoplifting related offence. He was refused bail and will face Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 16 May 2026.
About 10.40pm (Sunday 7 June 2026), officers attached to Mount Druitt Police Area Command stopped a sedan on Beames Avenue, Mount Druitt, for random testing. The driver, a 55-year-old man, was subjected to roadside breath test which allegedly returned a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Mt Druitt Police Station where he underwent secondary testing, which alleged returned a reading of 0.219. The man was charged with driver high range prescribed concentration of alcohol and drive motor vehicle during disqualification. He was granted conditional bail to appear before Mt Druitt Local Court on Monday 29 June 2026.
About 5.50am on Friday 5 June 2026, officers attached to Richmond Police District attempted to stop a red Honda motorcycle on Brunswick Street, Lismore Heights. Police allege the rider reached speeds of more than 160km/h in the signposted 60km/h zone. When the rider allegedly failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated. A short time later, the rider hit a roundabout after attempting to turn on Molesworth Street, Lismore. The rider – a 17-year-old boy – was arrested and taken to Lismore Police Station where he was subject to alcohol and drug testing which returned a negative result. Inquires also established the boy was the holder of a current learner's licence. The boy was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously. He is due to appear at a children's court on Monday 13 July 2026. He was also issued with penalty notices for exceeding the signpost speed limit by 30km/h and not keep left of the diving line. His license was also suspended.
About 1.40pm on Saturday 6 June 2026, officers attached to Tuggerah Lakes Police District stopped a vehicle on Motorway Link Road, Kiar, for random testing. Police allege the driver – a 46-year-old man – returned a positive roadside breath test. The 46-year-old was arrested and taken to Wyong Police Station where secondary testing allegedly returned a reading of 0.216. He issued with a court attendance notice for the charge of drive with high range prescribed concentration of alcohol and will appear before Wyong Local Court on Monday 20 July 2026. His licence was also suspended.
About 1.45am on Saturday 6 June 2026, officers attached The Hume Police District were called to the Hume Highway, Jugiong, following reports a Holden commodore was stopped on the highway and a woman was behaving erratically on the road. Police arrived and arrested a 37-year-old woman at the scene, after the vehicle was allegedly stolen. She was also subjected to a roadside breath test which allegedly returned a positive result. The 37-year-old was taken to Yass Police Station where she was subjected to further testing, allegedly returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.066. She also allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine. Police allege the Holden commodore, driven by the woman, was stolen from a property on Clifford Road, Narrandera about 5pm the previous day (Friday 5 June 2026). The 37-year-old was charged with refuse or fail to provide oral fluid sample, drive with low range PCA, taken and drive conveyance without consent of owner and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen. She was also charged with an outstanding warrant for a traffic-related offence. The woman was refused bail to appear before Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday 10 June 2026.
About 4.50pm on Saturday 6 June 2026, officers attached to Lake Illawarra Police District stopped a Toyota sedan on the Princes Highway Gerringong, after the driver was allegedly observed travelling at 147km/h in a signposted 100km/h zone. The driver – an 18-year-old man – was subjected to a roadside breath test which returned a negative result. He was also subjected to an oral fluid drug test which allegedly returned a positive result for cannabis and cocaine. He was arrested and subjected to a secondary roadside drug test which also allegedly returned positive for methylamphetamine. Inquires also established the man was the holder of a provisional P1 licence. He was issued with an infringement notice for P1 driver exceed speed of more than 45km/h and was suspended from driving for 24 hours. Police are awaiting the results of the oral fluid sample analysis.
About 8.10pm on Sunday 7 June 2026, officers attached to New England Highway Patrol were patrolling the Rocky River area where they stopped a Holden sedan travelling on Thunderbolt Way for testing near River Road. Following a roadside breath test, the driver – a 17-year-old boy and a P1 licence holder – allegedly returned a positive roadside breath test. He was arrested and taken to Uralla Police Station where he returned a breath analysis reading of 0.243. The boy was issued a Court Attendance Notice for high range prescribed concentration of alcohol and is due to appear at Armidale Local Court on Monday 20 July 2026, His license was also suspended.
Just after midnight on Monday 7 June 2026, officers attached to Orana Mid Western Police District attempted to stop an allegedly stolen utility travelling on Bourke Street, Dubbo. When the driver allegedly failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated. A short time later, spikes were successfully deployed on Yarrandale Road. The vehicle continued for some time, before spikes were again deployed and the vehicle came to a stop on the LH Ford Bridge. The driver – a 39-year-old man – was arrested and taken to Dubbo Police Station, where he was charged with two offences, police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, and drive motor vehicle during disqualification period. He was refused bail and appeared in Dubbo Local Court on Monday 8 June 2026, where he was formally refused bail to appear in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday 10 June 2026.
REGIONAL STATISTICS
Northern Region
Speed infringements: 1,013
Other infringements: 1,787
Breath tests: 40,462
PCA charges: 92
Drug tests: 2,004
Positive drug tests: 215
Restraint offences: 28
Mobile phone offences: 52
Southern Region
Speed infringements: 1,206
Other infringements: 1,228
Breath tests: 37,611
PCA charges: 38
Drug tests: 1,634
Positive drug tests: 192
Restraint offences: 28
Mobile phone offences: 43
Western Region
Speed infringements: 487
Other infringements: 553
Breath tests: 18,633
PCA charges: 30
Drug tests: 726
Positive drug tests: 111
Restraint offences: 14
Mobile phone offences: 12
