High police presence on holidays

Traffic operation for safer roads

SEVEN positive road-side drug tests from 32 motorists tested in two hours is a statistic that’s too high and endangers lives on roads.

The startling figure was revealed from Operation Northern Enforcement, a proactive policing strategy in Harlaxton on Thursday night designed to remind Toowoomba motorists of an increased police presence on the roads for the spring school holidays.

The awareness initiative preceded Operation Spring Break which will see police target drivers not following the Fatal Five with an emphasis on drug driving in the region.

Toowoomba Road Policing Unit Acting Sergeant Jason Burrows said the seven positive roadside tests were detected in two hours of the high-visibility operation.

“It’s disappointing Toowoomba seems to have a high incidence of drug driving,” he said.

“People keep saying, ‘when is it out of my system and when can I drive after taking drugs?’

“At the end of the day drugs are illegal. We say don’t take drugs and if you’re doing to risk driving then we’re more than happy to talk to you about it as far as enforcement.”

Operation Spring Break will run for two weeks throughout Queensland.

Acting Sgt Burrows said the full arsenal of detection tools would be used in overt and covert operations.

“It’s common knowledge that we’re always going to be out in force,” he said.

“But we are out in force more on school holidays, in the lead up to and at the end of the holidays, and 365 days a year.

“We just have to continually reinforce the message to the motoring public.

“The ‘it won’t happen to me’ attitude of motorists needs to go and complacency can’t set in.”

Operation Spring Break began at midnight on Thursday and continues to next month.