A woman has returned a reading almost five times the legal limit after three parked cars were damaged at Summer Hill yesterday, NSW Police say.
She was one of several drivers who returned high-range PCA (HRPCA) readings during Day 10 of the Traffic & Highway Patrol’s Safe Arrival road traffic campaign.
Operation Safe Arrival, the State’s Christmas and New Year road safety campaign, started at 12.01am on Friday 15 December, and will continue until 11.59pm on Monday 1 January 2018.
During the past 24 hours, individual drivers from Summer Hill, Chatswood, Kiama Heights, Westmead and Seaforth returned BAS readings in the high-range category.
Traffic & Highway Patrol (T&HWP) Commander, Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy, said there are no excuses for anyone to drive after drinking to excess.
"The impact alcohol has on driver capabilities cannot be exaggerated; decades of research shows those who drink and drive are at far higher risk of being involved in an incident, and events overnight have demonstrated this," Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
"And the impact is not only on the driver concerned – we know at least three car owners are now inconvenienced after the Summer Hill crash.
"At least we can be thankful no one was injured," Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
On Day 10 of the campaign, police conducted 36,283 breath tests with 35 people charged with drink-driving; this is 15 fewer than the comparable time last year.
There are more police on roads targeting drivers for dangerous behaviours that have led to loss of life on our roads, including; speeding, drink and drug-driving, mobile phone use, and not wearing seatbelts. Double demerits remain in force.
Some examples of inappropriate driver behaviour detected during Day 10 of Operation Safe Arrival include,
• Police from Ashfield Local Area Command were called to Allman Avenue, Summer Hill, about 5.30pm (Sunday 24 December 2017), and found a 47-year-old woman sitting in her vehicle. She returned a positive roadside breath test and was arrested and taken to Ashfield Police Station where police allege she returned a breath analysis of 0.243. The woman, from Hunters Hill was charged with high-range drink driving as well as negligent driving and not complying with licence restrictions. She is due to appear in Burwood Local Court on Thursday 25 January 2018.
• A woman – who caught the attention of police after she stopped her car in the middle of a Chatswood street yesterday – has now been charged after allegedly returning a BAS reading of 0.216. Police will allege the driver blocked the road when she stopped to let a passenger get out. The woman was arrested and taken to Chatswood Police Station when she was charged with drive with HRPCA. Her licence was also suspended on the spot. Her court date is yet to be determined.
• A member of the public tipped Lake Illawarra Police off after seeing a 68-year-old woman, from Mt St Thomas, allegedly driving erratically on the Princes Highway at Kiama Heights at 3.30pm yesterday. The driver returned a positive roadside breath test and was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station, where she returned a BAS reading of 0.167. She’s been charged with HRPCA, and her licence suspended. Her court date is yet to be determined.
• A 30-year-old man has been charged with HRPCA offence and had his licence suspended after allegedly returning a BAS reading of 0.175. The driver was stopped by police from Holroyd T&HWP after he was seen allegedly driving through a red light at the Great Western Highway at Westmead, about 1.15am today (Monday 25 December 2017). His court date is yet to be determined.
• A 36-year-old man has been charged with a HRPCA offence after a crash on the Wakehurst Parkway at Seaforth about 7.10am yesterday. A 75-year-old woman is being treated in Royal North Shore Hospital for multiple fractures after the head-on crash. The other driver, from Glenmore Park, was arrested after returning a positive roadside test. A check of his licence revealed he was disqualified until June 2018. He was also charged with drive while disqualified. He is due to appear in Manly Local Court on Wednesday 24 January 2018.
• A 34-year-old man from Portugal has been charged after he was detected allegedly driving at 160km/h through a 60km/h road works zone on Warringah Road at Frenchs Forest about 6.20am yesterday. He’s been charged with driving at a speed dangerous, as well as speeding by more than 45km/h. He is due to appear in Manly Local Court on Wednesday 21 February 2018.
Key statistics (Cumulative total):
Total infringements issued: 16,332
Speed infringements: 11,972
Breath tests: 371,365
Drink-driving charges: 634
Major crashes: 927
Persons injured: 297
Lives lost: 13
