DUBBO’S top cop has described statistics revealing Dubbo as the third worst city in the state for seat belt offences as “mind boggling”
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Acting Superintendent Scott Tanner highlighted the rising road toll as evidence that motorists aren’t doing enough to stay safe on NSW roads.
With 191 offences recorded in the past financial year, Dubbo ranked third behind Sydney (316) and Byron Bay (227) in the seat belt category.
Rounding out the top 10 locations were Griffith (171), Millers Point (168), Parramatta (164), Surry Hills (160), Bankstown (158), Moore Park (135) and Granville (133).
In total there were 15,849 seat belt offences recorded across the state in the 12 months leading up to June 30.
It’s a staggering statistic and one which Acting Superintendent Tanner said officers within the Orana Local Area Command will remain vigilant in policing.
"It is distressing to see that Dubbo features in the top ten locations for not wearing seat belts,” he said.
“The message is clear and simple, seat belts save lives. At a time when our road toll is increasing it is mind boggling that drivers and passengers continue to ignore simple safety messages.
“I ask drivers to think hard about the consequences of their actions. A simple task of putting on a seat belt will save your life and will save your relatives, friends and community the heartache of losing you.
“Police will continue to enforce all the road rules to keep people safe."
His sentiments echo those put forward by Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, who said “those using our roads clearly need to do more to ensure not only their own safety, but that of other road users”.
If there is some consolation to come from the figures released by NSW Police Media, it is that no other areas of the region featured in any of the other traffic categories.
The Sydney suburb of Mascot fared poorly with 2950 speeding offences recorded, 121 of which saw offenders exceeding the limit by more than 45km/h.
Another area that fared poorly in the findings was Goulburn, in the Southern Tablelands region of NSW.
The area finished third in the overall in the speeding statistics with 2,568 offences recorded last financial year.
A total of 60 of those offences were by more than 45km/h.
