Seventy-eight drink and drug-driving offences were detected during a road safety enforcement campaign conducted across the Southern Region at the weekend.
Operation Chrome was enforced across the eight Southern Region police districts between Friday (1 May 2020) and Sunday (3 May 2020), targeting poor driving behaviour on rural roads.
Utilising local police and the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, the operation focused on speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing seatbelts, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and fatigue.
During the operation, police conducted 1928 random breath tests and charged 32 people with drink driving.
Police conducted 298 random drug tests, with 46 people returning a positive indication for the presence of a prohibited drug. Seventeen people were also found in possession of prohibited drugs.
Ninety-five charges were laid in total, and an additional 325 Traffic Infringement Notices issued for a range of offences including burnouts, distraction devices and seatbelts.
Southern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar APM said the number of people driving with drugs in their system is a cause for concern.
“I cannot understand why someone would think it is OK to get behind the wheel with drugs in their system, putting every single person on the road at significant risk,” Assistant Commissioner Joe Cassar said.
“We will not hesitate to stop a vehicle if we think the driver’s behaviour puts others at risk of being in an accident.
“The focus on rural roads will not end because Operation Chrome has. Although there may be less cars on our roads at the moment, we are still out and about enforcing road rules and keeping the community safe.”
Of note;
About 10pm on Friday (1 May 2020), a 20-year-old man was detected travelling at 117km/h – more than double the 50km/h posted speed limit – in Bomaderry. His provisional licence was suspended.
About 5.30pm on Saturday (2 May 2020), a Hyundai Accent was stopped on the Monaro Highway north of Cooma. The 19-year-old male driver returned a positive roadside drug test, while his male passenger was allegedly found to be in possession of cocaine, cannabis and knuckle dusters.
The 19-year-old passenger was arrested and charged with possess prohibited drug (x3) and supply prohibited drug (x2). He was granted conditional bail and is due to face Cooma Local Court on 22 July 2020.
About 11.50pm on Saturday (2 May 2020), a Subaru Brumby was stopped for a random breath test on Park Road, Jindabyne. The 25-year-old male driver allegedly presented a reading of 0.202; more than four times the legal limit. His licence was suspended, and he was charged with drive with high range PCA. He is due to appear in Cooma Local Court on Wednesday 8 July 2020.
