Over the Adelaide Cup long weekend, South Australia Police conducted a state-wide traffic operation from Friday 8 March to Monday 11 March.
The aim of the operation was to deter and detect traffic behaviours that result in collisions and road trauma.
While, thankfully, there were no lives lost on our roads this long weekend, seven people suffered serious and potentially life-altering injuries as a result of road trauma.
Six of these injured people (three motorcyclists and three pedestrians) were vulnerable road users.
Over the course of the long weekend 57 drivers recorded an alcohol reading over the legal limit and 68 drivers returned a positive result to drug testing.
The highest drink driving result was recorded at Littlehampton about 8pm on Saturday night when a 47-year-old man was observed straddling lanes and then recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.323.
During the operation, 601 speeding offences and 24 seatbelt infringements were detected.
Alarmingly, 34 drivers were caught using their mobile phone while driving.
A total of 76 drivers had their vehicles impounded during the operation and 97 people were issued with an immediate loss of licence.
Superintendent Darren Fielke, Officer in Charge, Traffic Services Branch said police were also focused on dangerous road users, including give way offences, failing to keep a safe distance and lane behavioural offences. “While pleasing that no lives were lost, Police still detected 206 offences related to dangerous driving practices during the long weekend operation. These are behaviours that put the driver, their passengers and all other road users at risk. We urge everyone to make road safety a priority and ensure that every time you use the roads, you do so safely.”
