A special Police operation has been launched that will see officers saturate the roads over the next month in wake of the state’s horrifying road toll.
Saturday night’s crash at Emu Plains that killed teenagers Curtis Pallett and Joshua Cross was the last straw for Police and the State Government.
Operation Saturation will begin tonight and conclude on September 28.
“Tough operations like the one we’re launching today make road users sit up and take note of their behaviour on the road and be more cautious,” said Police Minister, Troy Grant.
“With 229 people killed on our roads since the start of the year, 25 more than this time last year, we need people to understand that speeding and unsafe behaviour kills and there are consequences for breaking the law.
“Despite our progress in reducing the number of lives lost on our roads over the last decade, I’m very concerned with current statistics. In human terms, an average of 15 lives have been lost every fortnight on our roads since the end of April – this simply must stop.
“We are pleading with everyone to slow down and obey the road rules – we do not want to see this tragic spike continue.”
NSW Roads Minister, Duncan Gay said the Government had no choice but to launch a crackdown.
“It has been a horrific fortnight with 22 people killed in crashes across NSW, and that’s why I’m standing here, shoulder to shoulder with the Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Troy Grant to launch the new high visibility police operation,” he said.
“We are cracking down on behaviours that are the biggest killers on our roads and targeting areas where serious crashes are happening. Stupidity has no place on our roads – everyone needs to be sensible.
“Go easy on the accelerator, stay off the grog if you’re driving and if you’re tired pull over.”
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn, Specialist Operations, said Operation Saturation would tackle the most at-risk locations and road users.
“Officers will be out in force to ensure all road users are acting responsibly and behaving in a manner that ensures the safety of everyone utilising our roads,” she said.
“Police will be targeting mobile phone use, fatigue, speeding, drug and drink driving and proper seat belt and restraint use. We are calling on everyone on our roads to use common sense and err on the side of caution. Taking risks will likely lead to tragic consequences.”
Operation Saturation – fully funded by the Community Road Safety Fund, which redirects speed camera fines back into the community to make our roads safer – will begin at midnight tonight and run until September 28.
Since May, the NSW road toll has spiked, with an increase in pedestrians, passengers and older road users killed compared to the same time last year.
Saturday night’s accident remains under investigation by Police but speed is likely to be ruled a factor. It is understood that 14-year-old Curtis was driving the vehicle at the time.
