Dangerous driving causes many crashes on NSW roads every year. There are tough measures in place to combat dangerous driving. The laws make it clear for irresponsible drivers treating NSW roads as their own personal racetrack that this is selfish and dangerous behaviour, and it will not be tolerated.
Over recent weeks The Hume PD has seen too many irresponsible drivers place themselves and other road users at extreme risk due to their poor behaviour behind the wheel.
Just before Christmas, a man was stopped for a random breath test in Yass and found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.202. More than four times the legal limit! He was charged with the offence of Drive with High Range PCA. His licence was confiscated on the spot and he is awaiting a court appearance.
A few weeks later Goulburn Highway Patrol stopped a 19-year-old ‘P’ plater travelling at 200kph in 110kph signposted area on the Hume Highway Goulburn. The ‘P’ Plater had his licence suspended for 6 months, he was taken to the police station and charged with Drive at a Speed Dangerous. His vehicle was also confiscated by police.
Later that same week, Mittagong Highway Patrol stopped a black Mercedes travelling at 214kph in 110kph area on the Hume Highway, Mittagong. That driver had his licence suspended on the spot and he was issued a court attendance notice for Driving at a Speed Dangerous.
Recently Yass Highway Patrol officers received reports of hoodlums doing burnouts in Sutton. Police arrived to find about 40 vehicles in the area and witnessed a 26-year-old Belconnen (ACT) man performing a burnout in a Holden Caprice sedan.
Enquiries revealed that the Holden was un-registered. The man had his licence suspended on the spot. He was issued a Court Attendance Notice for Sustained loss of traction (burnout), Participate in group activity contrary to Subsection 1 and Use Unregistered vehicle. This man’s motor vehicle was also confiscated by police.
This is just a snapshot of the irresponsible and dangerous driving incidents occurring across The Hume Police District. Behaviour like this on our roads is totally unacceptable and puts the community at risk. Police will continue to target road users doing the wrong thing to ensure that members of the public are kept safe.
NSW Police have the power to confiscate the car of a driver who commits a street racing or aggravated burnout offence, engages in a police pursuit or speeds by more than 45km/h. Police also have additional options to confiscate a vehicle’s number plates, or give the driver or registered operator of the vehicle a notice requiring that the vehicle be produced at a specified place within 10 days. If the vehicle is not produced a court-imposed penalty of $3,300 can apply and Transport for NSW can suspend the vehicle’s registration for 3 months.
In cases where the driver is the registered operator, the vehicle may be impounded, or the plates confiscated for a period of three months for a first offence. For a second or subsequent offence, the vehicle may be forfeited to the Crown and may be sold or released to Transport for NSW for crash testing.
Everybody please ‘check’ your driving. The potential for a serious or fatal crash is multiplied tenfold when being irresponsible behind the wheel.
By Inspector Dave Cowell | Yass Police Station
