ROAD-SAFE EASTER | ‘After 20 years of double demerits people still don’t get it!’

It’s the 20th anniversary of double-demerit enforcement and senior police joined Ambulance NSW to appeal for drivers to take it slow and steady this weekend.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy, of the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command, said there have been too many lives lost on our roads this year and many tragedies could’ve been avoided.

“After 20 years of double demerits it seems people still don’t get it. During Operation Tortoise this Easter long-weekend, I want road-users to remember to take it slow and steady. There is no race.

“We’ve already lost 91 lives on NSW roads this year. If people only slowed down, took regular breaks and avoided distractions, many of these deaths could’ve been avoided.

“The impact each death has on emergency services is incredible. We’re the ones who respond, treat people at the scene, deliver death messages to family and friends and investigate crashes.

“More importantly, each death affects that person’s family and friends for the rest of their lives.

“Let’s all work together to stop this needless and avoidable loss of lives on NSW roads.

“Please slow down, don’t drink or do drugs and drive, take regular breaks, wear a seatbelt and put your phone away.

“We say these things over and over but the truth is simple. These are the factors costing the lives of people on our roads.”

NSW Ambulance Assistant Commissioner Peter Payne urged all those driving this Easter break to slow down, drive to the conditions and plan ahead.

“While NSW Ambulance paramedics always respond to medical emergencies on our roads, we’d prefer to see people arrive at their destinations safely. Remember, everyone has family, friends and loved ones who use the road.

“For those planning to travel long distances or to an unfamiliar location, download the free Emergency+ app to ensure you can readily provide our triple-zero call-takers with their location in an emergency.

“The Emergency+ app displays the GPS co-ordinates of the phone for the caller to relay to the triple-zero call-taker.

“In an emergency, knowing your location is crucial in ensuring we can get the right medical assistance to you when you need it, where you need it. Knowing your location could save a life.”

Bernard Carlon, Centre for Road Safety’s executive director, said there have been too many lives lost during holiday periods.

“It’s been 20 years since we introduced double demerits back in 1997 and we know they save lives,” he said.

“Since then, there have been 747 deaths on our roads over the 108 holiday periods up to and including the Australia Day holiday weekend in January.

“This is still 747 too many but it also represents 433 fewer lives lost than for the same holiday periods before double demerits were introduced.

“That’s 433 people who made it home to their families thanks to this program.

“The last thing we want is for you to lose your licence this Easter but we’d rather you lose your licence than lose your life.

“So drive safely this Easter. If you’re drinking leave the car at home and make sure you have a plan B. If you’re feeling tired pull over and take a break. And most importantly don’t rush, your family and friends would rather you’re a bit late than lose you forever.”

Operation Tortoise begins at midnight tonight, Wednesday, and runs to midnight on Monday. Double demerits will be in force.

From tomorrow there will be more police on roads targeting drivers for dangerous behaviours that have lead to loss of life on our roads, including speeding, drink- and drug-driving, mobile-phone use and not wearing seatbelts.