Double Demerit Period

ACT Policing is disappointed with the disregard shown on our roads over the Christmas period and are calling for drivers to take more responsibility on our roads as we head into 2018.

Operation Safe Christmas / New Year was conducted between Friday 22 December 2017 and Monday 1 January 2018.

Unfortunately, officers from the Traffic Operations Team had to deal with a number of drivers who have not got the message about safety on our roads.

Detective Acting Station Sergeant Marcus Boorman said “while most drivers are doing the right thing, it is frustrating that some show a blatant disregard for not only their own safety but the safety of all road users through excessive speed, drink and drug driving”.

“My team issued 297 infringements during the Double Demerit period with the majority of these being related to excessive speed. This type of behaviour is reckless and can have disastrous consequences” Acting Station Sergeant Boorman said.

Examples of excessive speeding detected by police during the Double Demerit period include:

• 172km/h in 80km/h zone – Drakeford Drive
• 149km/h in 100km/h zone - Majura Parkway
• 155km/h in 60km/h zone - Springvale Drive (residential street)
• 106km/h in 60km/h zone - Aranda
• 150km/h in 100km/h zone - Majura Parkway (driver also charged with drug driving)

In addition to numerous speeding infringements, the Traffic Operations Team conducted 9000 Random Breath Tests resulting in the apprehension of 20 drink drivers and 108 Random Drug Tests from which 27 drivers tested positive to prohibited substances.

A female driver, with three children in the vehicle, returned a blood alcohol level of 0.107, which is more than double the legal limit. Another driver was detected with a blood alcohol level of 0.176, over three times the legal limit.

Six drivers were also apprehended for driving while disqualified.

Media enquiries
Police Media — (02) 6264 9460, act-police-media@afp.gov.au

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