Queensland drivers have been put on notice, warned of a police crackdown on dangerous driving as we head into the school holidays.
Police will be out in force across the next two weeks having today launched ‘Operation Cold Snap’, calling out bad driving excuses.
The crackdown comes after a horror start to the year on Queensland roads, with 147 deaths recorded so far.
Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus says the amount of people killed on our roads this year is staggering.
“In Queensland, we’re 11% higher than we were last year, and last year was a bad year on our roads,” Assistant Commissioner Marcus says.
“This is a significant issue for us as a community because we’re almost halfway through the year and if we continue to go the way we’re going we will have more than 300 lives lost on Queensland roads this year for the first time since 2009.”
Police say they’re sick of hearing the “spinning wheel of excuses” for bad driving behaviour.
“We hear these excuses every day… ‘It’s just around the corner, or it’s just a few k’s over the limit or I should be right to drive I haven’t had a drink since yesterday’,”
“The problem for us here in Queensland is we’re experiencing a significant and sustained increase in the number of people killed on our roads.”
Police Minster Mary Ryan and Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus
Drivers are also being urged to stick to road conditions as they make their travels for holidays.
Minister for Police Mark Ryan said school holidays were the best time to exemplify safe driving behaviours.
“If you’re packing up the kids and the car, take the challenge and demonstrate safe road behaviours to your ever-watching back seat drivers,” Minister Ryan said.
“Remember that every decision you make behind the wheel, counts and help make our Queensland roads as safe as can be.”
