ACT Road Policing Christmas weekend summary
Several road users who may have been thinking police wouldn’t be on Canberra’s roads on the Christmas weekend received a surprise, when they were caught committing a wide range of driving offences on both Saturday and Sunday.
About 12.50pm Saturday, 24 December 2022, officers on patrol on Bindubi Street, Cook detected an orange Honda CBR motorbike travelling at 125km/h, 45km/h faster than the posted speed limit.
When the motorcycle stopped, the rider, a 19-year-old Aranda man, produced a learner licence – despite there not being an L plate displayed on the motorcycle. The man also returned a positive result for a prescribed drug.
Further police checks revealed the motorcycle ridden by the man is not listed on the ACT Road Transport Authority’s list of approved motorcycles for learner riders. The man will face court in January.
About 8am Sunday, 25 December 2022, police detected a red Toyota being driven by a 33-year-old Coombs man at 116km/h on Belconnen Way, Aranda, which has a sign posted speed limit of 80km/h.
The man received a traffic infringement notice (TIN) for a $700 fine and 8 demerit points.
About 9:15am Sunday, a 49-year-old Throsby man driving a black Jeep Grand Cherokee was stopped by police on Majura Parkway, Majura.
The man recorded a blood alcohol content of 0.171, which is more than three times the legal 0.05 limit. His ACT heavy vehicle driver licence was instantly suspended 90 days and he will be summonsed to attend the ACT Magistrates Court next year.
Also on Christmas morning, police conducted a traffic targeting operation on Oaks Estate Road, Majura, where 235 breath screens and four drug tests were conducted. One driver, a 38-year-old Karabar (NSW) man, returned a positive drug result. He was taken into custody as he also had an outstanding ACT arrest warrant and will appear in the ACT Magistrates Court today (26 December 2022) charged with drug driving, and driving while suspended.
About 1.50pm, police stopped a grey Mazda detected at 131km/h in the 80km/h zone on Horse Park Drive, Kenny.
The 32-year-old woman driving the Mazda produced a Tongan licence and informed police she was running late for work. She was issued a TIN, including a $1841 fine for exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h. She will accrue 12 demerit points, which will remove her right to drive in Australia for three months.
About 3.30pm in the 80km/h zone on the Barton Highway, Kaleen, officers detected a black Volkswagen Golf with expired registration travelling at 107km/h.
The driver, a 20-year-old Fraser man, produced an expired Probationary driving licence. He was issued fines totaling $2794, and will not be able to renew his licence, as it will be suspended for three months.
And officers from Gungahlin Police Station on patrol observed a blue Ford Laser with registration that had expired in April 2022 being driven erratically on Gungahlin Drive, Gungahlin about 5.10pm.
When the driver stopped for police, checks revealed the driver had been disqualified since 2007. The 37-year-old Hughes man was also showing signs of intoxication and was taken into custody. He will face the ACT Magistrates Court today charged with driving while disqualified, driving under the influence, using an unregistered vehicle, using an uninsured vehicle and breach of good behaviour obligations.
Road users are reminded that double demerit points apply in the ACT until 11.59pm, 2 January 2023, and that police can be on any road, at any time. Any police vehicle can be used to conduct mobile random breath testing.
Media enquiries
Police Media — (02) 5126 9070, act-police-media@afp.gov.au