A state-wide traffic operation focused on the safety of children and pedestrians around school zones has found two people driving with drugs in their system.
Operation Return to School ran over a two day period from Monday 20 July and Tuesday 21 July, and was conducted between peak drop-off times of 8am to 9am, and peak pick-up times of 2:45pm to 3:45pm.
Police visited 326 schools during the operation, with a total of 120 expiation notices issued for offences including exceeding the speed limit, seatbelt related offences, mobile phone use and licence and registration offences.
Alarmingly, two motorists tested positive to drugs, including a driver from Seaview Downs who had just dropped off a child to school after returning a positive roadside test for Methylamphetamine. The driver was unlicensed and his car was unregistered. Additionally, a 39-year-old man from Mount Gambier was detected in Mount Gambier positive to a drug combination near a school.
Meanwhile, a 27-year-old Wallaroo man allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.065 while driving near a school.
Superintendent Bob Gray, the Officer in Charge of the Traffic Support Branch said children and young people are at risk in road environments around schools because they are smaller and less visible to drivers.
“In addition to weather conditions at this time of year that can make visibility challenging for motorists, the behaviour of children can be less predictable than adults and they can make errors of judgement when dealing with traffic,” he said.
Superintendent Bob Gray, Officer in Charge of the Traffic Services Branch, said the results are appalling.
“These individuals have shown a complete lack of care for other motorists,” he said.
“They’ve also put pedestrians in danger, including children who are just trying to make it to school safely.
“Driving with drugs in your system obviously isn’t safe, and it puts you and others in a high-risk situation.
“The message from police is simple: Do not drug or drink drive, because there are no excuses or exceptions.”
