Police have expressed disappointment over the results of a Northern Rivers drink-driving blitz over the weekend.
They say Operation Drink Drive 2 was a state-wide traffic operation that started midnight Friday and finished midnight Sunday, targeting drink/drug driving, driving when fatigued, speeding, wearing of seat belts and mobile phone offences.
‘It is disappointing to see so many drivers continuing to drive with drugs or alcohol in their system,’ a media release from Tweed/Byron police read.
Officers charged a 42-year-old male from Stokers Siding with High Range Drink Driving (0.174) around nine o’clock Friday morning after a car crash there.
They say he had been drinking wine prior to driving and it was lucky nobody was hurt.
Three others were charged with drink-driving in the high range: a 26-year-old woman from Bilambil Heights caught at Tweed Heads after midnight Saturday; a 31-year-old Victorian man caught in Byron Bay about 3.00am on Sunday; and a 43-year-old Victorian male caught on the Pacific Highway at Tweed Heads about 11.30pm on Saturday 2 November.
The 43-year-old man was reportedly celebrating his birthday and had drunk 10 pints of beer before deciding to drive.
Police also charged a 24-year-old male with Driving under the influence of a drug and drug possession after a traffic stop at Sextons Hill, Banora Point, about 2.30am on Saturday.
They say he was affected by drugs and that they found cannabis in his car.
All drivers listed received bail and are due to appear at Tweed Heads and Byron Bay Local Courts on various dates, police said, but licences have been suspended.
They say ‘numerous’ other drivers were found drink-driving in the mid-range and low range level offences.
Operation Drink Drive 2 is officially over but police say they continue to focus on drink and drug driving offences on the Northern Rivers.
Just what we wanted a photo of the back side of cars.
Well Len,
I’m sure that makes sense to some-one, and of course some cars do have very nice backsides !
But on a lighter note , why are the police “disappointed” ? Obviously if such a high percentage of local drivers are over the legal limit and with so few accidents ,………makes you wonder if the laws are a bit of a sham !
Anyhow it keeps these violent police thugs in the public eye ,where hopefully they can do less damage to the children.
While there is an argument that high levels of alcohol are detrimental , higher than three beers of course, but there is NOTHING to substantiate testing for THC ,that was consumed days or weeks previously has any effect on safety , but has a huge potential to destroy lives, due to the paranoia displayed by courts and misguided laws.
G”)
Is the majority of offenders locals from the Northern Rivers or is a proportion from intra/interstate during these blitz?
If the majority that are affected by alcohol/drugs, and live within the Northern Rivers, does this mean that there could be a greater police prescence within our region to reduce this; “Police have expressed disappointment over the results of a Northern Rivers drink-driving blitz over the weekend”?
It seems to be the norm over many years and yet we publicise our concerns yet, same old… same old news.
If that is all they caught, then it obviously wasn’t a very successful blitz. With no actual numbers of drivers caught, nor a break down on alcohol or drugs, it’s a bit of a pointless article.
Right on Nicqui !
Disappointed?
If we are going to have these constant almost weekly revenue targeted operations “Blitzes”, at least give the taxpayers paying for this massive waste of resources some detailed information.
So how many thousand drivers were harassed and accused of criminality “During the BLITZ” in front of their children, by the demand of a breath test, or a criminal conviction for refusing, whether guilty or innocent?
How many dollars were wasted on the “BLITZ”, $500,000, a million, how many squad cars, staff, accommodation costs, transport, fuel wastage?
Four convictions and a vague, a few others, a petty .01 over the contrived dangerous .05, maybe?
Add it to the billions of dollars the Govt leeches off motorists for these mostly contrived petty offences.
Seems the only high range accident offence would have been caught regardless after the crash anyway?
We need detailed information as in Britain where, for instance speed is deemed responsible for only 5% of accidents, unlike the ridiculous statements of speed causing high percentages of accidents we have in Australia.
There are now calls to maximise NSW Govt revenue by removing radar warnings in NSW? The Govt’s partners in revenue raising, the Macquarie bank, “Owner and operator” of the mobil speed cameras in NSW will be reaping millions more for their share holders?
No, this is nothing to do with safety, if it did, fatalities and accidents would have dropped substantially, this is revenue raising and nothing but revenue raising, period! And you all know it!
Ever had to do CPR on someone with their chest stove in by the steering wheel because they weren’t wearing a seatbelt and who reeked of alcohol? Only the steering column left. Then put your jacket over the face of the deceased teen girl in the car he hit? Monitor the probably last breaths if her boyfriend beside her, trying to stop the bleeding.
Stopped other people pulling out a passenger with an obviously broken back and leg, prop another up hoping they’ll keep breathing because nobody else has first aid training and you’re hoping they’re not too bad…
The night I decided drinking and driving is a shit thing to do.
There’s better things to get angsty about, what’s the state of our rivers and environment folks?!