THE Orana LAC has had a fatality-free weekend on the roads, although not all motorists were doing the right thing, according to police.
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While most drivers travelling through the Western Region were aware of an increased police presence and penalties during the long weekend Operation Slow Down, heeding warnings to be patient and drive sensibly, some demonstrated alarming behaviour, according to Acting Inspector Ben Macfarlane of the Western Region Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.
"They appear to treat road safety as some kind of game - but with 263 people killed on NSW roads so far this year - 41 of those in the Western Region - there are tragic consequences when things go wrong," he said.
To Monday afternoon, there had been 1176 breath tests carried out in the Orana Local Area Command, with 55 infringements issued for speeding, two for restraint offences and 57 for other traffic offences.
Acting Inspector Macfarlane said it was pleasing to see the influx of football enthusiasts into Dubbo at the long weekend had not added to weekend crash statistics, and from all reports traffic movements had been well planned and managed.
In the Orana Local Area Command, police were forced to terminate a pursuit due to dangerous speed after a Holden Commodore failed to stop for officers at Wellington at the weekend. Officers had responded to a report of people causing trouble in Wellington and begun to pursue the vehicle north from Wellington along towards Dunedoo.
Orana Highway Patrol issued a caution after a passenger in a vehicle stopped for a random breath test (RBT) in Fifth Avenue, Narromine, was searched with police turning up 8.9g of cannabis.
A 22-year-old motorcyclist stopped for an RBT in Wingewarra Street, Dubbo at 7.36am on Saturday was found to have had his licence suspended earlier for speeding/demerit points and will front court next month.
About 3.45pm Saturday a 25-year-old Bathurst man was stopped on the Mitchell Highway at Narromine and subsequent checks showed he was a P2 driver suspended earlier this year for speeding more than 45km/h over the limit. Police said he produced an expired Queensland licence. He will appear before court in November.
About 2.38pm a 34-year-old Queensland man was stopped by police after he failed to stop for a level crossing at Saleyards Road at Trangie. He was found to be driving while suspended and will front court next month.
A 30-year-old man will also front court after he was stopped for an RBT in North Street, Dubbo, about 2.30am Saturday, and registered a reading of 0.078.
Other incidents of concern were three drivers caught drink-driving including in Condobolin in the space of two hours.
About 5pm Sunday, a 49-year-old woman stopped for an RBT in Molong Street returned a reading of 0.271, a figure more than five times the legal limit. She told police at the scene she did not have a driver's licence as she had been disqualified for high-range drink-driving last year.
About the same time a 65-year-old man stopped for an RBT in Condobolin registered a reading of 0.198, nearly four times the legal limit.
About 7pm a 38-year-old man was charged and will also front court in December after he was stopped for a random breath test and registered a mid-range reading of 0.097, nearly twice the legal limit. The three will front court later this year.
They appear to treat road safety as some kind of game - but with 263 people killed on NSW roads so far this year - 41 of those in the Western Region - there are tragic consequences when things go wrong,
- Western Region Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Acting Inspector Ben Macfarlane
Further west in the Darling River Local Area Command, a 20-year-old Brewarrina woman stopped on Saturday morning in Pangee Street, Nyngan was found to be driving while never having held a licence.
Less than an hour later, police saw a white four-wheel-drive stop short of a Mitchell Highway RBT site at Nyngan and the two male occupants swap positions.
When the vehicle was directed into the RBT site the original driver, a 27-year-old from North Ryde, was found to be disqualified. He told police he had not been driving. The man will front court at a later date.
Acting Inspector Macfarlane said a vehicle stopped near Cobar on Thursday that had three unrestrained children inside had been a disturbing discovery.
"This incident displays a complete disregard for the safety of children," he said.
"There are provisions under the Children (Care and Protection) Act for placing kids in danger and I will be speaking to police involved about that option.
"Kids are innocent - they follow the lead of parents and obviously cannot perceive the danger they are placed in.
"To put them in a position like that beggars belief, and then to compound it an unlicensed, inexperienced driver is detected speeding."
