ACT Policing say they are pleased the Australian Capital Territory remained fatality-free over the holiday period, with only two collisions resulting in minor injuries over the Easter holiday period (17 to 21 April).

The Operation Crossroads partnership between ACT Policing and NSW Police provided a highly visible presence on our region’s roads aimed at reducing road trauma and keeping people safe during a traditionally busy time on our roads.

Traffic Operations Officer in Charge, Station Sergeant Rod Anderson was pleased there were no deaths or serious injuries over the Easter holiday that sees a large number of Canberrans travelling out of town during the long weekend.

“We made no secret about our highly visible presence across the ACT and NSW roads over the long weekend,” Sergeant Anderson said.

Over the Easter period, 258 Traffic Infringement Notices (TINs) and 160 cautions were issued for driving offences in the ACT, compared with 209 TINs issued over the same period last year.

About 8.30am on Easter Sunday, police stopped a blue Ford to conduct a random breath test. The 47-year-old male driver from Latham underwent roadside alcohol screening and a later breath analysis, which returned a reading of 0.173, almost four times the prescribed limit. The man was issued with an immediate suspension notice and will be summonsed to face the ACT Magistrates Court at a later date.

On Saturday (19 April), police conducted roadside alcohol screening on a 56-year-old female driver on Gungahlin Drive, Kaleen. The driver later underwent a breath analysis and returned a reading of 0.165. The driver’s license had been disqualified following five prior offences. The 56-year-old will be summonsed to face the ACT Magistrates Court at a later date.

During Operation Crossroads, ACT Policing conducted 2,464 breath tests, of which 21 returned a positive result, and 61 roadside drug tests, of which 14 returned a possible reading and were forwarded to ACTGAL for further analysis.

About 10.20am on Monday (April 21), police detected a white Holden travelling on Caswell Drive, Aranda, at 141km/h in a 90km/h zone. The 30-year-old male driver from Spence told police he had been distracted, talking to a passenger in the car. The driver received a Traffic Infringement Notice, a fine of $1811 and the loss of 12 demerit points.

Police targeted anti-social driving behaviour over the long weekend. On Thursday (April 17), about 4.30pm, police seized a green Holden commodore in relation to burnouts in Isabella Plains. The 23-year-old male driver will be summonsed to face the ACT Magistrates Court at a later date.

“Drivers lose their lives on our roads every year, so it’s disturbing that some people are still choosing to risk their lives and the lives of others by driving dangerously.”

Double demerits will again be in force over the ANZAC Day long weekend for speeding and seatbelt offences, with an extra point for all other traffic offences, from Thursday 24 to Monday 28 April, 2014.