March 28, 2018
Police will be out in force on the roads over the Easter break, and motorists are being asked to stay to stay focussed and share the road with care.
Last Easter there were two fatalities on the State’s roads, and a further 236 people were injured as a result of traffic crashes.
Police conducted 82,223 RBTs over the 2017 Easter break and caught 299 drink-drivers. Another 3787 drivers were issued with infringement notices for speeding, and 15,711 were caught by speed cameras.
On Wednesday Minister Di Farmer joined the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and Queensland Ambulance Service to launch the 2018 Easter Road Safety Campaign.
“The road toll for this year is already five above the road toll for the same time last year, with 57 deaths,” Ms Farmer said.
“We often see drivers travelling large distances to get to their families.
“And as the Commonwealth Games draw nearer, this year we’re also expecting to see an increased presence on our roads with international and interstate guests starting to arrive.
“I’m urging drivers to show tolerance and respect when driving to make sure all road users are safe.”
Police Minister Mark Ryan urged motorists to be aware of Fatal Five – drink driving and drug driving, fatigue, inattention, not using a seat belt and speeding – the most common killers on Queensland roads.
“Every decision made behind the wheel can potentially have dire consequences, and some can even be fatal,” he said.
Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the QPS would play a key role driving safety and compliance with high visibility patrols on major road networks throughout the state.
“Easter is one of the busiest periods on our roads,” Commissioner Stewart said.
“For this reason, we will be staging officers from the Road Policing Command in high risk areas actively enforcing the Fatal Five.
“In the lead up to the games, this year in particular, we are asking road users travelling along the Pacific Motorway to exercise caution and specifically to heed the warning of the dangers of speeding and distraction.
“The Queensland Police Service is committed to keeping Queenslanders safe on the roads, and we ask that drivers show tolerance and respect for all road users this Easter.”
