More than 100 people were charged with drink-driving and 16 were charged with driving under the influence of drugs during a blitz on driver behaviour in the state's north at the weekend.
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Operation Chrome saw an extra 90 police patrolling the state's Northern Region on Friday and Saturday.
In addition to conducting 10,800 random breath tests, and 500 drug tests, police booked more than 600 people for not wearing seat belts, using mobile phones, speeding and other traffic offences.
Operation Chrome was initiated in an attempt to curb the growing number of road trauma incidents and fatal accidents.
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Forty five people have already lost their lives on Northern Region roads this year compared to 39 in 2018.
There have been four deaths in the Hunter Valley command this year compared to last year.
The Lake Macquarie command has recorded two deaths, Newcastle City Command three and Port Stephens-Hunter six.
While the Northern Region remained fatality free during the operation, Northern Region Traffic Tactician Chief Inspector Amanda Calder said there remained too many instances of stupid behaviour.
"We want to send a clear message that every police car is out there to reduce trauma and fatalities on our roads," Inspector Calder said.
"Unfortunately we still have people are still continuing to drive with drugs and alcohol in their system and to take risks."
Operation Chrome will be held again in August and November.
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," Northern Region Operations Manager, Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey said on Friday.
"It will be highway patrol cars, it will be unmarked cars it will be general duties vehicles."
Superintendent Humphrey said police were determined to turn the tide of poor driver behaviour.
"Our community, our friends and family are dying on our roads and we need to fix that," he said.
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 saw us out in numbers on the 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."
