SLOW DOWN AND LIVE

ROAD SAFETY OPERATION SNARES SPEEDING DRIVERS

POLICE have caught an L- plater driving at 162km/ h as part of a crackdown on motorists.

Road Policing Command officer- in- charge Senior Sergeant Brendan White slammed drivers for putting lives at risk by flouting speed limits.

In the first month of a three- month operation, Townsville Road Policing Command has already booked 564 motorists for speeding.

ARRESTING an L- plater for allegedly speeding along the Bruce Highway in Ayr 62km/ h above the limit is a stark example of what Townsville Police are encountering as part of a major ongoing road operation.

Operation Quebec Yield is a three- month statewide operation focusing on traffic offences, including fake registration plates, unregistered vehicles, red light dodging, mobile phone use and seatbelt offences.

In the month since its launch, officers from Townsville’s Road Policing Command have already netted 564 motorists for speeding offences, 49 for not wearing a seatbelt and 40 for being on their phones. A further 206 motorists have been nabbed for driving unregistered or uninsured vehicles.

Road Policing Command officer- in- charge Senior Sergeant Brendan White said a speeding incident in Ayr was particularly noteworthy.

It is alleged a learner driver was caught in an unregistered car, without an accompanying driver, going 162km/ h in a 100km/ h zone.

When he was pulled over by police it is further alleged he didn’t have his licence on him, and checks found he had been caught for an unregistered car offence just a week earlier.

Sen- Sgt White said the man’s fines totalled $ 1895, along with a six- month driving suspension on top of a three- month demerit point suspension.

“He didn’t have a reason for it ( speeding),” he said.

“Speed is the worst ( issue) we’ve got.

“If you took speed out of the equation we’d save a lot of lives.”

Sen- Sgt White’s comments come as the Townsville Bulletin and News Queensland this week launched an extensive road safety campaign, exploring the biggest risks on our roads.

So far this year 219 people have died on Queensland roads, with the figure expected to be above 240 by the end of the year.

Operation Quebec Yield will run until the end of January.