Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Officers working alongside Roads and Maritime Services officers have continued the focus on heavy vehicle safety and compliance during the third week of Operation StateTrans, NSW Police say.
Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, Commander of Traffic & Highway Patrol Command said the ongoing focus on compliance will deliver safety benefits for heavy vehicle drivers, operators, and all other road users.
"We want the industry to be safe, but this needs to involve strict compliance and enforcement.
"With 65 heavy, light truck and bus fatalities in the last 12 months, we must work with industry to drive this number down."
As the operation passes week three, Police and RMS Officers have inspected 41,839 trucks and trailers, issuing 3795 defects, and 2944 infringements and breaches. Officers have downloaded 456 Engine Control Modules, revealing 85 having been tampered with to allow speeds over 100kph. Out of the 1910 random drug tests, and 13,277 breath tests, 29 drivers have returned positive results to drugs, with four returning positive tests for alcohol.
Assistant Commissioner Hartley said that while the low positive drug and breath tests were a good sign, defects, driver and vehicle compliance, along with speed tampering appear to be of significant concern.
"Officers will identify unroadworthy or unregistered trucks, and non-compliant drivers, and be put off the road.
"To have poorly loaded trucks, particularly in the area of Dangerous Goods transport, is a community-wide concern.
"With two deaths last week involving trucks transporting goods for delivery in our suburbs, more needs to be done for the benefit of all road users," Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.
Roads and Maritime General Manager, Paul Endycott, said the NSW Government is committed to changing behaviour across the heavy vehicle industry to reduce the number of deaths across the road network involving heavy vehicles.
"This dangerous and unsafe behaviour will not be tolerated and any individual in the Chain of Responsibility who breaches dimension, load restraint and mass regulations risks fines exceeding $10,000, suspension or cancellation of registration and driver licence," Mr Endycott said.
"Penalties for truck and off road logistics and freight companies are even higher, in excess of $50,000 for each offence."
Issues identified by officers throughout the Operation so far include; Fail to comply with dimension requirements – Severe risk, Fail to comply with loading requirements – Substantial risk.
StateTrans, a joint initiative between Australian Police and road agencies continues throughout the month of May.
