Drivers using phones detected
POLICE have praised drivers for “generally doing the right thing” but hit out at the number of drink and drug drivers detected in a campaign targeting bad driving behaviour.
Of particular concern identified under Operation Cold Snap was the number of drivers continuing to use mobile phones behind the wheel.
More than 1660 policing hours were dedicated to the campaign, from June 23 to July 9, across the Darling Downs region which includes Warwick and the Lockyer Valley.
Life-endangering offences include running red lights and speeding offences.
“As a result of that operation, we’ve issued 251 infringement notices for life endangering offences,” Toowoomba City Patrol Group Inspector Stephen Angus said.
“We’ve had 442 other infringement notices issues and 5198 random breath tests completed.
“We’ve located 24 drug and drink drivers (and) we’ve had six injury traffic offences.”
Insp. Angus said the results of the operation indicated while drivers were generally abiding by the road rules, there was always room for improvement to make the region’s roads safer.
“Between January 1 and July 9, we’ve had four less fatalities for the Darling Downs district when compared to the same time last year,” he said.
“We’ve had an 18.9% reduction in injury traffic crashes for the district for the same period, and 16.3% less persons hospitalised as a result of traffic crashes for the same period.
“We’d rather see fewer offences being detected but generally drivers are doing the right thing.”
One fatality was recorded in the Darling Downs region during the operation, with the death of Pittsworth man Bryce McLoughlin, 18, on Sunday.
As of Monday, the state-wide road toll sat at 130 for the year, which was five more than the same time in 2016.
Insp. Angus said police would continue to crack down on the fatal five including speeding, wearing seat belts, drink and drug driving, fatigue and inattention.
“Among the big contributing factors to inattention are mobile phones,” he said.