HUNTER police have warned there are more operations planned for the region to target drink driving and drug affected motorists after almost 40 people were allegedly caught behind the wheel with illicit substances in their system during a recent crackdown.
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Police were this week awaiting the results of 39 positive drug tests they turned up during a five-day operation - which ended on Monday May 20 - and involved the NSW Police Traffic Response Group deploying an extra 13 highway patrol vehicles and staff to the Newcastle City, Lake Macquarie, Hunter Valley, and Port Stephens-Hunter commands.
The officers breath tested 1418 drivers - with only two mid-range readings being recorded - and conducted 725 drug tests.
Of those tests, police were on Tuesday morning awaiting laboratory confirmation of 39 positive results.
"While most drivers are doing the right thing on our roads, it's disappointing that some are still choosing to risk lives by being reckless and speeding or driving with illicit drugs in their system," Newcastle-Hunter highway patrol Acting Inspector Glenn Swift said.
"We have further planned operations to target irresponsible driving behaviour.
"Dangerous driving won't be tolerated and if you chose to do the wrong thing, you will be caught."
According to the NSW Centre for Road Safety, 135 people have been killed in crashes on the state's roads so far in 2024, compared with 119 during the same period last year.
During the 12 months to May 20, 2024, 10,021 people had died on NSW roads - up from 9641 in the previous 12-month period.
