Motorists are being urged to take greater care this Easter long weekend following a deadly start to the school holidays.
15 lives have been lost on Queensland roads since the start of the school holidays on April 4, which is the same number of people killed the entire school holiday period last year.
11 people have died on central police region roads since the start of the year- which includes Rockhampton, Gladstone and Mackay.
Police are currently conducting Operation X-ray Easter to target the Fatal Five – speeding, drink driving, fatigue, seatbelts and distraction – with thousands already caught breaking the law.
Police have conducted 64,682 roadside breath tests and 3,815 roadside drug tests as at 8am on April 15.
Of those tested, 1,118 motorists were found to be over the legal alcohol limit and 432 drivers returned a positive result for drugs and had to undergo further testing.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Dan Purdie, warned drivers to expect the high visibility police presence to continue across Queensland over the long weekend.
“Police officers will be doing everything they can to stop the horror road toll from growing any higher over the long weekend,” Mr Purdie said.
“Drivers should expect to see more RBTs and high visibility patrols targeting those unfit to be behind the wheel due to drugs and alcohol – with impaired driving one of the major causes of crashes in Queensland.
“Easter is a great time to be hitting the road to explore our great state, but please do your part to keep yourself, your passengers and other motorists safe,” he said.
Queensland Police Service Acting Commissioner, Shane Chelepy APM, said the Easter period is one of the busiest times on the Australian roads, and one of the highest-risk times for serious crashes.
“Police will continue to conduct increased high visibility operations, traffic enforcement activities and patrols throughout the state, including roadside breath testing and drug testing operations, as part of Operation X-ray Easter,” Acting Commissioner Chelepy said.
“The results of the first 10 days of this operation illustrate the danger that people are putting themselves and the community in by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – and this is simply unacceptable.”
