Operation Return to School (ORS) concluded yesterday with police again disappointed with the behavior of some drivers. ORS was conducted State-wide between Monday 22 July and Tuesday 23 July, with a focus on the safety of children and pedestrians around school zones. A total of 244 schools were visited by patrols with 126 on the spot fines being issued for offences including:
- 35 drivers for speeding
- 10 drivers using mobile phones
- 11 who were unlicenced or registration offences
- 1 for failing to wear a seatbelt
- 18 defects
- Various other parking/standing offences
A further eight drivers who tested positive for drugs were:
- a 29-year-old man from Evanston tested positive to methamphetamine – dropping child at school (AM)
- a 39-year-old woman from Mount Gambier tested positive to methamphetamine – dropping three children off at school (AM)
- a 37-year-old man from Murray Bridge tested positive to methamphetamine – just dropped child off at school (AM)
- a 44-year-old man from Hackham tested positive to methamphetamine – dropping off at school (AM)
- a 28-year-old woman from Noarlunga Downs tested positive to cannabis – child in car (AM)
- an 18-year-old woman from Hallett Cove tested positive to methamphetamine
- a 35-year-old man from Murray Bridge tested positive to methamphetamine
- a 30-year-old woman from Berri tested positive to methamphetamine – 6 and 3-year-old in car and dropping off for school
The drivers will have their samples forensically tested and may face drug driving charges once analysis has been completed. CARL notifications have been made for those drivers who had children in the car.
Another driver also returned an alleged blood alcohol reading of 0.052% and was issued an on the spot fine for drink driving and an additional fine for driving an unregistered car.
Superintendent Bob Gray, Officer in Charge of the Traffic Support Branch said, “It is unacceptable that some drivers still make the conscious decision to not only put their own lives at risk but also the lives of other road users including vulnerable passengers, by drink and drug driving.
Motorist were warned police would be targeting school zones as part of their road safety campaign and we make no apologies for taking a strong line with fatal five offences – we simply want people to stay safe on the roads”.
