Senior police were amazed at the number of local road users failing to use their seatbelts or wear helmets this Easter.
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The Easter long-weekend traffic operation commenced at 12.01 am on Thursday, March 29 and concluded at 11.59 pm on Monday, April 2. Double-demerits were in force throughout the operation.
Hume Police District Commander Christopher Schilt said he was astounded at the number of people who had chosen not to take basic safety precautions before getting in a vehicle.
“Wearing seatbelts has been compulsory in NSW since 1971 and the benefits of being properly restrained or wearing helmets in the event of a crash have been well documented,” he said.
“There have been no fatal motor vehicle accidents in the Hilltops region as of Monday lunchtime and we hope there are none by the end of the Easter break.
“But, we are still catching people drink driving.”
District Commander Schilt said it beggars belief that people are still breaking the law when they should be on their best behaviour over Easter.
“We have been really proactive through the media and within local communities that we will be out and about in big numbers over Easter, surely that would be a clue to some people to not break the law,” he said. “It is just amazing that people still don’t get the message and take the hints that we are giving them.”
Mr Schilt said police have been charging people with drink and drug driving, not wearing seat-belts or helmets and using mobile phones while driving.
“These are among the major contributors to fatalities on our roads and if we are aware of them we are likely to be safe,” he said.
“But unfortunately people still don’t heed our warnings and still break the law. Police are amazed and we wonder what we have to do to make people realise their behaviour behind the wheel could have a fatal impact on them, their families and others.”