Police generally pleased with driver behaviour over the long weekend

Canberra’s roads remained fatality free across the Australia Day long weekend (Wednesday 25 January – Sunday 29 January), despite ACT Policing detecting some irresponsible drivers.

Officer in Charge of Traffic Operations, Acting Station Sergeant Marcus Boorman said that while ACT Policing was pleased with driver behaviour in general, it is frustrating some drivers are not getting the message.

“During the long weekend traffic operation, more than 20 impaired drivers were detected by police. The majority of these detections occurred after police stopped the driver for other traffic offences such as speeding, using a mobile telephone or failing to wear a seatbelt."

“Some of the reckless and irresponsible driving detected included a man driving 36km/h over the speed limit along Erindale Drive in Farrer and two male drivers caught street racing along Clarrie Hermes Drive in Casey,” Acting Station Sergeant Boorman said.

During the Australia Day holiday period ACT Policing attended 25 collisions, issued 102 Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs) and 73 cautions.

“During the five day period police conducted 542 random breath tests without detecting a single positive result. In addition, 40 road side drug tests were conducted with nine positive indications for drugs detected.

“It appears that people are listening to our drink driving messaging, but people are still tuning out to our other road safety messages in relation to speed, drug driving and driver distraction. These three factors consistently contribute to serious and fatal collisions,” Acting Station Sergeant Boorman said.