November 29, 2024
A targeted police traffic operation – Operation Whiskey Nitrox – will be hitting local roads from Saturday (November 30).
During the seven-day operation, local police will partner with the Road Policing Task Force and partner agencies to work towards reducing the number of lives lost, or injured, on Queensland roads.
A police spokesperson said high visibility policing would be conducted across various parts of the Darling Downs Police District, which includes Kingaroy and the South Burnett.
The operation will focus on life-endangering offences such as speed, impaired driving, fatigue, mobile phone use, not wearing seatbelts, vehicle compliance and roadworthiness, and heavy vehicle offences.
As part of the blitz, police and partner agencies will be stopping vehicles, talking with drivers and taking action when needed, to strengthen the safety of road users.
Inspector Brett Everest said with higher volumes of traffic expected on our roads these operations were critical to keep all road users safe.
“The Darling Downs District sadly has had the most number of people who have died on our roads than any other police district in the State, with 28 people killed on our roads so far this year.
“Each life lost is one too many. We do not want to see families continue to go through the pain of losing a loved one so I plead with all road users to be aware of the risks and how to reduce them.
“In a bid to address our concerns, initiatives like Operation Whiskey Nitrox are so important and provide such value to our work in strengthening road safety in our community.
““The community can expect to see both covert and overt traffic enforcement across static sites and mobile patrols.
“It is up to every driver to ensure that they drive responsibly and with care and consideration for themselves, their passengers and all other road users.
“Generally, the people in our car are people we love and care about the most. That is why we implore drivers to join with us and make road safety a priority.
“This is not a one-off operation, but the latest in an ongoing road safety strategy, aimed at saving lives on our roads in Queensland.”
The Queensland road toll on November 29 stood at 276, compared with 252 at the same time last year.
