A man who allegedly attempted to avoid police has been charged with unlicensed driving, on day six of the state-wide Christmas and New Year's road-safety operation.
About 10:05am yesterday (Tuesday 29 December 2020), police sighted a vehicle travelling west along the Bruxner Highway, Ballina. Officers conducted a u-turn with the intention of stopping the vehicle for a random breath test.
The vehicle has then accelerated away and drove off the highway at the first available exit.
Police were able to stop the vehicle where the male driver was spoken to. Inquiries revealed that he did not hold a driver's licence. It was also established that the man had only recently faced court for the same offence.
The 39-year-old man from a Ballina address was issued with a Court Attendance Notice for never licenced driver – prior offence. He is due to appear in Ballina Local Court at a later date.
The state-wide road safety operation started at 12.01am last Thursday (24 December 2020) and concludes at 11.59pm on Sunday (3 January 2021).
Double-demerit points are in force throughout the period for speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences.
NSW Police officers will also be targeting other high-risk driver behaviour, including the Four Ds; drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving.
So far, more than 5,000 speeding fines and more than 4,300 infringement notices have been issued for other driving offences.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb, said despite it being well known that police are out in force over the Christmas/New Year period the number of motorists being detected doing the wrong thing was beyond belief.
"It is no secret that police target poor driver behaviour at this time of year, yet we are still seeing examples of dangerous driving upon our roads," Assistant Commissioner Webb said.
"I sincerely believe that it is only because of those police targeting poor driving that has prevented many potential accidents that were just waiting to happen."
"The number of drivers being detected for exceeding the alcohol limit is also disappointing. This is totally irresponsible, and people need to understand that you can drive – but you can't drink!"
Other incidents of note on Day 6 of the operation include:
- About 11:10am yesterday (Tuesday 29 December 2020), a member of the public called Triple Zero regarding the manner of driving of a gold Mazda Tribute. The vehicle was stopped by police in Bentinck Street, Ballina. A 43-year-old Woodburn woman was submitted to a breath test which returned a positive reading. She was arrested and taken to Ballina Police Station where she underwent a breath analysis that returned an alleged reading of 0.210. Her drivers' licence was suspended, and she was issued a court attendance notice to appear at Ballina Local Court on Wednesday 27 January 2021.
- At 3pm police observed a grey Mini Cooper travelling at 116km/h in a 50km/h zone along Oxford Falls Road, Oxford Falls. Officers from Northern Beaches Highway Patrol stopped the vehicle and spoke to the 17-year-old male driver. Inquiries revealed that he was the holder of a P1 licence which had only been issued 30 days earlier. There were also two passengers in the vehicle. The driver was issued an infringement notice for exceed speed limit over 45km/h. A licence suspension notice was also issued.
- Just after 3:10pm officers attached to Botany Bay Highway Patrol were conducting stationary random breath testing on Botany Road, Botany when they saw a black Yamaha motorcycle make a sharp right-hand turn into Edward Street. A secondary RBT site in Edward Street attempted to stop the motorcycle; however, it failed to stop and a pursuit was initiated. The pursuit reached speeds of 100km/h in a 50km/h zone. Due to the high speeds police terminated the pursuit. A short time later police attended an address in Botany and arrested a 16-year-old boy. He was taken to Newtown Police Station and charged with Skye's Law, drive manner dangerous, exceed speed limit by 45km/h, fail to stop and unlicensed driving. The number plates of the motorcycle have been seized for three months. He has been bailed to attend a children's court at a later date.
- Shortly before 6pm police from Campbelltown Highway Patrol detected a 26-year-old man from Stanhope Gardens travelling along the Northern Road, Bringelly, using a mobile phone. He was stopped and spoken to where he produced a P1 drivers' licence. The vehicle was not displaying any P plates as required by law to do so. He was issued infringements for using a mobile phone and for not displaying P plates on the vehicle.
Key statistics (progressive total):
Speed infringements: 5,159
Breath tests: 104,906
PCA charges: 258
Major crashes:376
Fatalities: 4
