South Australia Police has released the results of Operation Safe Long Weekend – Adelaide Cup, with officers detecting a range of dangerous driving behaviours across the four‑day period.
The Statewide operation ran from Friday 6 March to Monday 9 March 2026 as part of SAPOL's Safe Roads 2025–2026 campaign, alongside Operation Stop Drink/Drug Driving.
Across the long weekend, three lives were lost and seven people were seriously injured. The results come amid a broader period of road trauma, with five lives lost on South Australian roads in the past week.
Across the operation, police conducted:
- 18,165 alcohol tests
- 731 drug screening tests
- 56 positive alcohol tests
- 68 positive drug tests
Two drivers failed to comply with a direction to undergo a breath analysis test.
The highest alcohol reading recorded was 0.268 from a 42‑year‑old Munno Para man stopped on Heaslip Road, Angle Vale. He received a 12‑month Immediate Loss of Licence (ILOL) and his vehicle was impounded for 28 days.
A total of 525 speed offences were detected, including 277 expiations or reports and 248 cautions. Police also detected 13 seatbelt offences and 28 mobile phone offences.
Officers recorded 170 dangerous road user offences, including ineffective lighting, give way offences, failing to keep a safe distance and failing to maintain effective control.
Across the operation, 62 vehicles were impounded for offences including driving disqualified or unlicensed, drink driving, excessive speed and dangerous driving.
Police issued 110 Immediate Loss of Licence notices, the majority for drug and drink driving.
Inspector Mark Atkinson from Traffic Services Branch, said the recent trauma on South Australian roads highlights the need for every driver to take responsibility.
"These are not just numbers. These are mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, and they all have families," Inspector Atkinson said.
"So, as we move towards the Easter period, there are going to be empty seats now at the dinner table.
"No one leaves the house to get in a motor vehicle and drive thinking that they won't return.
"There are five easy things people can do – don't drink or drug drive, stick to the speed limit, don't drive distracted, wear your seat belt and don't drive dangerously.
"If we stick to the road rules and do the right thing, we will see a dramatic reduction in lives lost."
SAPOL continues to urge motorists to make safe choices behind the wheel and reminds the community that road safety operations can occur at any time, anywhere across the state.
