Police are everywhere on long weekends because holidays are among the deadliest periods on the road.
And yet the highway patrol still caught some absolute peanuts doing some crazy and dangerous driving this past Easter long weekend.
Remember, kids, we share the roads with these idiots.
Unfortunately, there were too many to choose from, but here are our top picks from the NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol page on Facebook.
Overloaded ute, ‘criminal mastermind’:
We couldn’t have described this incident better ourselves, so here is exactly what the police wrote about this incident:
“Imagine you get stopped because your number plate is obscured by your poorly loaded vehicle.
“Then it turns out you have no licence.
“Then you are drug tested and test positive to methamphetamine.
“Then the number plates on your car are actually false and belong to another car.
“Let’s top it off – you start to text and call someone your AVO says you cannot contact, in front of the police.
“Oh, and you are on bail.
“Dubbo HWP officers stopped this criminal mastermind on Easter Monday.
“He was arrested and charged with drive while licence refused, breach AVO, breach bail, goods in custody and a range of other traffic offences.
“He was bail refused to appear at Dubbo Local Court on April 2 2024.”
Honestly if we don’t see this idiot on a future episode of A Current Affair we will be shocked.
Also, we wish all police reports were written like this.
Honda Civic stopped, driver cops 22 points
An unaccompanied learner driver in a Honda Civic has copped 22 demerit points after being detected travelling 30kmh above the posted speed limit.
As per the police on social media:
“About 5:35pm on Saturday 30th March 2024, officers attached to Mount Druitt HWP were conducting stationary speed enforcement in Eastern creek when they detected on Lidar (laser speed-detection gun) a black Honda travelling at 84kmh in the sign-posted 50kmh area.
“When stopped, the 20-year-old male driver produced a NSW Learner licence which he only held for a period of five months.
“At the time the driver had two male passengers with international licences. The driver was not accompanied by a fully licenced driver (with an Australian licence).
“The driver had his mobile phone in a cradle displaying maps and (The vehicle) was not displaying L-plates, a condition of his licence.
‘Learners and provisional drivers are not permitted to have any use of a mobile phone whilst driving, including for the purpose of maps.
“When the male was spoken to regarding exceeding the posted speed limit, he stated ‘oh yeah because it’s, like, empty” (in relation to the lack of vehicles on the roadway).
“The driver was issued penalty notices for Exceed Speed Limit Over 30kmh, Unaccompanied Learner, Not Display L Plates As Prescribed, and Learner Use Mobile Phone When Not Permitted.
“The driver had his licence suspended on the spot for a period of three months.”
You can’t hide, even out in the country
Police in the regional town of Walgett – in the central north of NSW, an area so remote the highway patrol cars have massive Codan aerials to boost their radio range – stopped a P2 Provisional driver travelling at 96 km/h in the middle of town.
That’s almost twice the 50kmh speed limit in the area.
As per the police on social media:
“About 9:45 am on Friday 29 March 2024, officers attached to Walgett Highway Patrol detected a grey four-wheel-drive travelling at 96 kmh on Fox Street in Walgett, a built-up 50 kmh area.
“The vehicle was eventually stopped where officers spoke to the 19-year-old P2 Provisional driver.
“He was issued a $1036 infringement notice and his licence was immediately suspended for a period of three months.
“This offence carries 10 demerit points (inclusive of double demerit provisions) which will see his suspension term extended due to excess demerit points.
“Stay safe this Easter by taking personal responsibility for your driving behaviour. Avoid distractions, follow speed limits, and never drink and drive. Your choices behind the wheel can make all the difference.”
That’s Falcon dangerous:
Police attached to the NSW south-west metro suburb of Liverpool area detected a car travelling at 119kmh in a 60kmh zone – which if you’re good at maths you will have figured out that is almost twice the speed limit.
The driver’s excuse? He was frustrated after getting stuck behind a slower car.
As per the police on social media:
“When stopped, the 23-year-old male driver said: ‘I was stuck behind a slow car, I got frustrated and when I had two lanes I floored it.’
“The driver was subjected to both alcohol and drug testing which returned a negative reading.
“Due to the excessive speed and danger posed by the driver’s actions, police issued him with a Field Court Attendance Notice for offences:
“1) Drive recklessly/furiously or at speed/manner dangerous, and; 2) Class A motor vehicle exceed speed limit by more than 45km/h.
“As an additional measure, police suspended and confiscated his licence on the spot.
“Police confiscated his registration plates and made arrangements to return these to Services NSW where they will be held for a period of three months.”
NSW Police shared with Nine News the following statistics from the four-day Easter long weekend:
- 5700 speeding fines were issued by police (excluding speed camera fines which are expected to be even higher);
- 500 fines issued were issued by police to drivers caught using a mobile phone;
- 500 fines issued were issued by police to vehicle occupants not wearing a seatbelt;
- Police conducted 17,256 roadside drug tests and 863 motorists returned positive results (one drug-affected driver for every 20 tested);
- Police conducted 230,000 random breath tests and 295 motorists were charged with drink driving (one drunk driver for every 850 tested);
- A 38-year-old man was busted at 203kmh in a 100kmh zone on the M2 motorway in North Rocks and was also found to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol;
- A 17-year-old P-plater crashed after travelling at an estimated 120kmh in a 70kmh zone in Mascot, he and three passengers were injured.
