Police are appalled at the ridiculous speeds they have seen – including one P-plater who was caught driving at 226kmh/ in a 70km/h zone – at the conclusion of Operation Safe Return, NSW Police say.
About 2.20am this morning today, a 25-year-old P1 provisional driver was allegedly detected driving a silver Audi A5 at 226km/h in a 70km/h zone on Fairford Road, Bankstown.
He was arrested and charged with drive speed dangerous to public, speed by more than 45km/h over limit, and other traffic offences. He had his licence confiscated on the spot and is due to appear at Bankstown Local Court on 22 February 2017.
Acting Commander of the State’s Traffic and Highway Patrol, Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said the message that speeding kills is not getting through.
"I cannot believe the sheer idiocy I have seen on our roads during this operation.
"Throughout Operation Safe Return we caught more people speeding in every region across the state than last year.
"It’s quite simple, people are dying because they are speeding. Speed is still the biggest killer on our roads, contributing to about 40% of fatal crashes.
"We will continue to take people off the roads who can’t stay within the speed limit.
"If people can’t learn to slow down, the unfortunate reality is that hundreds more people will die this year on our roads," Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
Operation Safe Return commenced at 12.01am on Wednesday 25 January 2017 and concluded last night at 11.59pm yesterday.
Throughout the entirety of Operation Safe Arrival:
- 5780 infringements were issued for speeding,
- 8353 other infringements were issued,
- 302 people were charged with drink-driving,
- 395 major crashes have been reported, resulting in 140 people injured, and
- 4 people died.
Some of the behaviour putting lives at risk during the operation, include;
-About 2.50pm on Saturday (28 January 2017), a 24-year-old man, was allegedly caught speeding at 188km/h in a 100km/h zone on Ocean Drive, Lake Cathie in Port Macquarie. He was arrested and charged with driving at speed dangerous to the public and exceed speed by more than 45km/h. He had his driver’s licence and number plates seized and is due to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court on 22 February 2017.
-About 1.45am on Sunday yesterday, a 30-year-old man was allegedly caught speeding at 196km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the M5 at Moorebank. He was arrested and charged with drive manner dangerous to the public and exceed speed by more than 45km/h. He had his licence and number plates confiscated on the spot and is due to appear at Liverpool Local Court on 22 February 2017
-About 10.50pm on Sunday yesterday, a 24-year-old woman, was allegedly caught speeding at 144km/h in a 60km/h zone on Victoria Road at Rozelle. She had her licence confiscated on the spot and was issued an infringement for speeding by more than 45km/h.
-About 3.20am on Sunday yesterday, a 31-year-old woman crashed into a power pole on Brighton Avenue, Panania. After returning a positive breath tests, she was arrested and taken to Bankstown Police Station where she allegedly returned a breath analysis reading of 0.183. She was charged with high-range drink-driving and had her licence suspended on the spot. She is due to appear at Bankstown Local Court on 22 February 2017.
