A 17-year-old P1 provisional driver has had his license suspended after allegedly being detected travelling at 172km/h in a 110km/h zone after day eight of Operation Safe Arrival.
Six people have lost their lives during the operation, after a 67-year-old man died in a single-vehicle crash at Albury yesterday (Friday 28 December 2018) and a 70-year-old pedestrian died in hospital after being struck by a motorbike at Dover Heights on Boxing Day (Wednesday 26 December 2018).
Operation Safe Arrival, the State’s Christmas/New Year road safety operation, started at 12.01am on Friday 21 December 2018, and will continue until 11.59pm on Tuesday 1 January 2019.
Double demerits are in place over the entire operation for all speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt and motorcycle-helmet offences.
Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy of the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command, has once again urged road users to exercise caution in the lead-up to the new year.
“I stress again the priority for road users should be to arrive safely, not quickly,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
“Sadly, two more families will be without a loved one for New Year celebrations.
“It’s also deeply concerning to see such risky behaviour by a 17-year-old P-plate driver. We can only be glad no one was hurt.” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
Some examples of inappropriate driver behaviour detected during day eight of Operation Safe Arrival include:
- About 1.45pm, a P1 provisional driver was detected travelling at 172km/h in a sign posted 110km/h zone of Hume Highway, Blair Athol. The driver, a 17-year-old boy, had his license suspended and was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice for driving in a speed dangerous and exceed speed limit more than 45km/h. He will appear in Campbelltown Local Court on Tuesday 29 January 2019.
- Just after 9.30pm, officers from Botany Bay Police Area Command initiated a pursuit with a vehicle after it allegedly failed to stop for a random breath test on King Street, Mascot. The vehicle came to a stop when it struck a gutter and crashed into a brick wall. The driver, a 36-year-old man, returned a positive breath test result and later returned a breath analysis of 0.178. He was charged with disqualified driving, high-range PCA and not stop – police pursuit – drive dangerously (Skye’s Law). He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today (Saturday 29 December 2018).
- About 4.10pm, officers from the Police Transport Command attempted to stop a vehicle on Fowler Street, Merrylands. A pursuit was initiated and terminated a short time later due to the dangerous manner of driving. The vehicle was located a short time later on Kane Street, Guildford, and police arrested a 56-year-old man following a short foot pursuit. He was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously (Skye’s Law), drive whilst disqualified and resist police officer x2. He was bail refused to appear in Parramatta Bail Court today (Saturday 29 December 2018).
Key statistics (Cumulative total – started on 21 December 2018):
Total infringements issued (not speeding): 12,513
Speed infringements: 8,092
Breath tests: 366,993
Drink-driving charges: 410
Lives lost: 6
