Heavy vehicles from a company linked to a double fatal crash in the state’s Central West last year, have been among nearly 1600 trucks to come to notice during a week-long joint compliance operation in regional NSW.
Police attached to the Traffic Task Force, with the assistance of Roads and Maritime Services Inspectors, conducted Operation Impact targeting heavy vehicle offences within the Tamworth, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie areas between Monday 26 August 2019 and yesterday (Friday 30 August 2019).
During the operation, a truck was stopped at the Pine Creek Heavy Vehicle Inspection Station about 8.45am on Tuesday 27 August 2019.
The 59-year-old driver was subject to a random drug test which allegedly returned a positive indication to cannabis. He was banned from driving for 24 hours.
Police are awaiting the results of laboratory testing before determining any further legal action.
At 2.45pm on the same day, a truck driver was stopped and issued with a court attendance notice for allegedly breaching his working hours.
Both trucks were registered to a Central West NSW company linked to a crash near Dubbo in January 2018 that left two people dead and 12 others injured.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander Acting Assistant Commissioner Julie Middlemiss said even though initiates such as ‘Operation Impact’ have been running for several years, they will continue until owners and operators can ensure all trucks are compliant.
“We do these operations for the simplest of reasons – to keep dangerous trucks and drivers off our roads, and to make the road safer for everyone,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Middlemiss said.
“Everyone has the right to get where they are going as safely as possible.”
Results of the operation involving police and RMS Inspectors:
- Stopped 1,578 heavy vehicles
- Charged one driver with a special range drink driving offence
- Conducted 66 random drug tests, with three drivers returning positive indications for illicit substances
- Issued 254 infringement notices for offences ranging from severe work diary and load breaches to false and misleading diary entries
