Young drivers exceeding the speed limit by up to 60km/h have been stopped by police working on Day Three of Operation Safe Return.
A Learner-driver has been fined and his licence confiscated after being detected travelling at 60km/h above his licenced speed limit at Goulburn overnight.
Officers attached to The Hume Highway Patrol detected a 2012-model Holden Commodore being driven south about 7.20pm (Sunday 27 January 2019), at an alleged speed of 151km/h on the Hume Highway.
Learner-driver licence holders are restricted to a maximum speed of 90km/h.
The 22-year-old man, from Richmond, has been issued with infringements for exceed speed over 45km/h, being an unaccompanied learner, not display 'L' plates, and not keep left. His licence has been suspended for six months.
Meanwhile, a 17-year-old driver – who had only been given his P1 licence four days earlier – has been fined after allegedly driving at more than 50km/h above the 70km/h speed limit on General Holmes Drive at Mascot about 1am today (Monday 28 January 2019).
The teen has been issued with an infringement notice for exceed speed by more than 45km/h. His licence has been suspended for six months and the registration plates of his Nissan Pulsar seized for three months.
Operation Safe Return, the State's January long weekend road-safety operation, started at 12.01am on Friday 25 January 2019 and will continue until 11.59pm on Monday 28 January 2019.
Double demerits will be in place over the entire long-weekend for all speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt and motorcycle-helmet offences.
Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy says the decision to speed made by inexperienced drivers put lives at risk.
"We know excess speed is a key risk factor in road traffic crash statistics and – when combined with inexperience – it puts other people travelling on the same roads in danger.
"These young drivers have now lost their right to drive for six months which will provide protection to other road users, but inconvenience their friends and family members, not to mention the impact it could have on their studies or careers," Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
Additional incidents recorded on Day Three
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Highway Patrol seized crystal methylamphetamine when a vehicle was stopped for a roadside test on Maitland Street, Muswellbrook, about 12am yesterday (Sunday 27 January 2019). A 20-year-old woman from Maitland allegedly returned a positive roadside drug test to methylamphetamine and has had her right to drive suspended for 24 hours. Further charges may be laid pending the outcome of the RDT. Both the driver and her 38-year-old male passenger have been charged with supply prohibited drug and possess prohibited drug. The man has been bail refused to attend Muswellbrook Local Court tomorrow (Tuesday 29 January 2019). The woman has been granted bail to appear in the same court on 4 March 2019.
Officers attached to The Hills Highway Patrol stopped a 28-year-old man after they detected him allegedly driving 65km/h above the speed limit on Old Windsor Road at Glenwood about 12.30am today (Monday 28 January 2019). The man, from Beaumont Hills, has been issued with an infringement notice for speeding and his licence confiscated and suspended for six months.
FACS has been notified after a 10-year-old girl was found in the car of a driver who returned an alleged high-range PCA reading of 0.182 after being stopped in North Parramatta about 5.30pm yesterday (Sunday 27 January 2019). Officers noticed the vehicle when it stopped short of an RBT site on Church Street, and allege the man driving swapped seats with a female passenger. Police intercepted the vehicle and breath-tested the 43-year-old Parramatta man. He was arrested and taken to Parramatta Police Station where he was charged with high-range PCA. His licence has been confiscated and suspended. A court and date is still to be determined.
Key statistics (Cumulative total – started on 25 January 2019):
Total infringements issued (not speeding): 6186
Speed infringements: 3418
Breath tests: 139,782
Drink-driving charges: 204
Lives lost: 3
