Today’s road safety focus is on impaired driving, also known as drink and drug driving.
Drink driving remains a major contributor to fatalities and injuries on our roads and drinking alcohol reduces your ability to drive safely.
Alcohol affects your judgement, vision, coordination and reflexes, increasing your risk of having a crash.
If you plan to go out and drink, arrange for alternative transport or stay at a mate’s place.
Designate and salute a ‘dry driver’, catch a taxi or public transport. The message is simple, if you plan to drink, plan to get home safely. Just remember, you can still be over the limit in the morning, so avoid driving.
Drugs can affect your driving by causing reduced ability to judge distance and speed, distorted perception of time, place and space, reduced coordination and concentration and blurred vision.
Just remember you can be pulled over by Queensland police officers for a random roadside saliva test to detect any presence of illegal drugs.
Between July 1 and August 24, Wide Bay Burnett District officers have intercepted and charged drivers with the following results:
Bundaberg Patrol Group
- Drink driving related offences = 35
The latest alleged drink driving offence occurred in Quay Street, Bundaberg Central at approximately 7.15pm on August 23 and involved a 52-year-old Kepnock man. The man is scheduled to appear in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on September 2 in relation to a 0.10 and under 0.15 drink driving charge.
- Drug driving related offences = 73
The latest alleged drug driving offence occurred in Woongarra Street, Bundaberg Central at approximately 12:30pm on August 24 and involved a 22-year-old Bundaberg North man. The man is scheduled to appear in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on September 22.
Maryborough Patrol Group
- Drink driving related offences = 69
The latest alleged drink driving offence occurred in Drummond Street, Urangan at approximately 10.00pm on August 23 and involved a 37-year-old Urangan man. The man is scheduled to appear in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court on September 28 in relation to a 0.10 and under 0.15 drink driving charge.
- Drug driving related offences = 32
The latest alleged drug driving offence occurred in Walsh Street, Biggenden at approximately 11.10am on August 22 and involved a 62-year-old Coringa man. The man is scheduled to appear in Maryborough Magistrates Court on October 26.
Gympie Patrol Group
- Drink driving related offences = 22
The latest alleged drink driving offence occurred in Bella Creek Road, Bella Creek at approximately 6.20am on August 21 and involved a 45-year-old Traveston woman. The woman is scheduled to appear in Gympie Magistrates Court on September 15.
- Drug driving related offences = 16
The latest alleged drug driving offence occurred in Monkland Street, Gympie at approximately 12:00pm on August 23 and involved a 58-year-old Glenwood man. The man is scheduled to appear in Gympie Magistrates Court on October 20.