The increase in motorists speeding throughout the holiday period has been "quite concerning", according to NSW police.
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Traffic Tactician for the Western Region Acting Inspector Jason Bush said there had been an increase of 338 speeding detections in the Western Region over the Christmas New Year police operation, compared to the 2019/2020 operation.
"Overall police are quite happy the way that motorists have responded to police warnings and travelled throughout the Orana Mid-Western area," he said.
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"However the increase in speed detections over this operational period is quite concerning, and leading into the Australia Day weekend we will definitely focus on that aspect of road safety."
A total of 32,254 breath tests were conducted in the Western Region, with police provisionally issuing 61 drink-driving charges in the Orana Mid-West police district.
However Acting Inspector Bush said police were happy to see a deduction in all other categories including seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences.
The state-wide road safety operation started at midnight on Thursday, December 24 and ended at 11.59pm on Sunday, January 3.
Double-demerit points were in force throughout the period for speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences.
NSW Police officers also targeted other high-risk driver behaviour, including the Four Ds: drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving.
On December 28 police detected a 17-year-old P1 driver travelling along the Mitchell Highway near Wongarbon travelling at 146km/h. The driver was issued a penalty notice and their drivers licence was immediately suspended for six months.
On New Years Day an 18-year-old female was stopped by police in the Orana region. A check of her licence revealed she was an unaccompanied learner driver and returned a positive alcohol breath test reading of 0.137. She was charged with mid-range drink driving and her licence was suspended.
About two hours later the same 18-year-old driver was detected driving again returning a positive breath test analysis of 0.111. She was charged again for drink-driving and for driving whilst suspended.
On the final day of the operation, January 3, a 25-year-old Dubbo driver was stopped on Minore Road for a breath test. They were taken to Dubbo Police station and returned a positive reading of 0.229. The driver was issued with a court attendance notice and their licence was suspended. They will appear before Dubbo Local Court at a later date.
Acting Inspector Bush also said it was devastating police had to attend one fatal accident on December 28.
Emergency services were called to Tomingley, about 60 kilometres out of Dubbo, after a Holden Barina travelling west left the road and rolled several times.
The 34-year-old passenger died at the scene.
The 33-year-old driver was treated by paramedics before she was taken to Dubbo Hospital for treatment and mandatory testing.
"It was unfortunate for police to attend this scene, given that the people involved were locals," Acting Inspector Bush said.
"Any fatal accidents whether they're local or not is quite upsetting for attending police, local communities, family members and friends."
Acting Inspector Bush said the rise in speeding offences would be one of the key offences police would be targeting in the lead up to the Australia Day weekend.
Double demerits will be in effect from January 22 through to midnight on January 26.
"Speeding, given the response over the Christmas period is going to be an avenue or aspect that we will be concentrating on," Acting Inspector Bush said.
"However, now that the operational period has finished, that does not mean police will relax their attitude on drink driving and drug driving offences. That will be another key focus not only on operational periods, but our campaign through 2021."