An extra 90 police will target poor driver behaviour in the Northern Region this weekend as part of an intensive effort to drive down road trauma.
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The catalyst is the state's grim road statistics - Forty five people have already lost their lives on Northern Region roads this year compared to 39 in 2018. An additional 1800 people have been booked for drink driving. Another 18,000 tickets have been issued for other offences.
"Our community, our friends and family are dying on our roads and we need to fix that," Northern Region Operations Manager, Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey said at the launch of Operation Chrome on Friday.
Police will be targeting poor driving behaviours on rural roads - including speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing seat belts, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and fatigue.
Rural roads in the Northern Region, which extends from the Central Coast to the Queensland border, will be a particular focus for the operation.
"You will see police in areas that you don't normally see them at hours that you don't normally see them. It will be highway patrol cars, it will be unmarked cars it will be general duties vehicles. It's very important that we turn the tide," Superintendent Humphrey said.
Operation Chrome will continue throughout the year.
"This is the first stage," Superintendent Humphrey said.
"There are substantial resources being tipped in over the next two days and it will be repeated throughout the year. We may not be as open about announcing it but we are giving the community the chance to adjust their behaviour. Drive appropriately."
Northern Region Traffic Tactician Chief Inspector Amanda Calder urged drivers to play their part to make roads a safer place.
"Sadly, we have already lost 45 lives on northern NSW roads this year. Most crashes happen in rural and regional areas, which is why you will see us in numbers this weekend," she said.
"We make no apologies for taking licences away from anyone who puts themselves and other road users at risk through dangerous driving behaviours."
Operation Chrome is a statewide operation that began on Friday and continues through Saturday.
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