‘Fatal five’ police focus during Road Safety Week
CAIRNS police will be blitzing the “fatal five” as the road safety week spotlight shines on pedestrian and road user safety.
Acting Superintendent Monique Ralph said police would focus on driver distraction, fatigue, intoxication, speeding and seatbelts during Road Safety Week.
“Safety on the roads is everyone’s responsibility, be they a driver on the road, pedestrian or cyclist,” Acting Supt Ralph said.
“People are still speeding, people are distracted, they are not watching the other road users or looking out for the people in their vehicles.
“The Far North has lost 10 lives to traffic accidents this year and it is 10 too many.”
The warnings follow the death of Sam Hendry, 29, of Bayview Heights.
Mr Hendry died earlier this month at Kewarra Beach when his car left the road and rolled into the centre median strip of the Captain Cook Hwy.
Sergeant Scott Ezard of the Forensic Crash Unit said speed might have been a factor.
The start of Road Safety Week narrowly missed the double booking of a 24-yearold Manunda man speeding on the weekend.
He was initially intercepted about 8.30pm on Friday, allegedly travelling at 165km/h in a 100km/h zone along the Bruce
Hwy at Silkwood.
About 4pm on Sunday, police allege the man was driving on the Bruce Hwy at Feluga when he was detected by the same officer travelling at 171km/h in a 100km/h zone while overtaking the unmarked police vehicle.
He received a seven-day number plate confiscation and was issued with two $1245 traffic infringement notices and will receive a six-month high speed suspension.