A South Australia Police traffic operation has ended with no serious injuries or lives lost during the Queen's birthday long weekend.
Operation Safe Long Weekend ran from Friday 5 June until Monday 8 June, and despite the positive outcome, police are still disappointed with the number of irresponsible drivers and passengers who chose to commit a fatal five offence.
Almost 9,000 alcotests were conducted over the four day period with police recording 121 positive results. One drink driver included a 49-yar-old woman from Golden Grove who was stopped by police at 11am on Monday 8 June on Hancock Road. She was breath tested and allegedly produced a blood alcohol reading of 0.296. Checks on her car revealed that it was unregistered.
She was issued with twelve month instant loss of licence and her car was impounded for 28 days. She will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date. Police also caught a 48-year-old man from Seaford Rise who allegedly produced a blood alcohol reading of 0.246.
A total 441 drug tests were also conducted during the state-wide operation, with 87 drivers detected with methamphetamine and/or THC in their system.
Additionally, 741 speeding offences were detected, 55 distraction based offences (including mobile phone use), were recorded and 28 people were issued with an expiation notice for a seatbelt offence.
In 2019 there were two vehicle occupants who lost their lives in vehicle collisions over the Queen's birthday long weekend period, and a further 11 people were seriously injured. The outcome of zero during the same operation this year is promising.
"It's an extremely positive result to have no lives lost or serious injuries during the June long weekend, and this is something we would like to repeat for all future public holiday periods," said Superintendent Bob Gray, Officer in Charge of the Traffic Services Branch.
"Despite the hundreds of people who chose to do the wrong thing, we're still relieved to know that every South Australian who drove over the long weekend was able to make it home to their loved ones. The devastating reality is that 47 people in this state left their homes this year to drive somewhere and never returned.
"The work of police does not stop here. We will continue to target dangerous drivers and passengers, and we will continue to plead with the community to accept and understand that road safety is a shared responsibility."
