Police are calling for more care on our roads after nine people died in just one week across NSW.
An eight-year-old found in the back seat of a car involved in a high-speed pursuit from Tyagarah to Ballina is just one of a number of stories of dangerous driving police have shared after the horror week.
Between Tuesday, 27 October and Monday, 2 November, police across the state attended eight different crashes that killed nine people.
A further three people died in two separate crashes on Tuesday, 3 November.
So far this year, 291 people have died on NSW roads.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said police can issue fines, suspend licences, and take dangerous drivers off NSW roads, but they cannot make the decision to slow down for you.
“Nine people have died on NSW roads in just one week,” Ms Catley said.
“That means nine families are now facing the unimaginable heartbreak of losing someone they love.”
On the North Coast, officers from Richmond Police District Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were conducting speed enforcement on the M1 Motorway at Tyagarah, east of Byron Bay, about 1am on Saturday, 31 October.
They detected a silver hatchback allegedly driving well above the speed limit.
When the driver allegedly failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was started. It continued south on the M1 Motorway before heading onto the Bruxner Highway at West Ballina.
The chase continued towards Ballina, where road spikes were successfully deployed near Kays Lane. The vehicle came to a stop, and a 27-year-old woman was arrested.
At the time of the arrest, her eight-year-old son was found in the car’s back seat.
The woman was taken to Ballina Police Station, where a random drug test allegedly returned a positive reading for methamphetamine.
She was charged with offences including drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, police pursuit not stop drive dangerously (second offence), drive recklessly/furiously or speed manner dangerous, and take action that results in emotional/intellectual damage.
She was granted conditional bail to appear before Ballina Local Court on Thursday, 12 November.
Elsewhere in the state, a motorcycle was allegedly clocked at 216km/h in an 80km/h zone on the Northern Road at Luddenham, in Sydney’s west, on Tuesday, 27 October.
“I was shocked to learn that one vehicle was clocked travelling at 216km/h in an 80km/h zone: this is beyond reckless and it was a decision that put every other person on that road at risk,” Ms Catley said.
“Our Traffic and Highway Patrol Command officers are out there every day trying to prevent these tragedies.”
“They’re also the ones who have to knock on a family’s door and deliver the worst news imaginable.”
Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Assistant Commissioner David Driver, said speed was consistently a key factor in whether road users survived a crash.
“The reality is crashing at speed is fatal for many people and it’s avoidable,” Assistant Commissioner Driver said.
“The faster a vehicle is travelling at impact, the greater the risk of death and serious injury.”
“We don’t want more officers having to knock on doors and tell families their loved ones aren’t coming home; however, if drivers don’t take their safety and the safety of others seriously then more knocks are inevitable.”
“As we head towards Christmas, the NSW Government and NSW Police are asking every driver to think about the people waiting for them at home,” Ms Catley said.
“No appointment, no deadline and no destination is worth a life.”
“As we head into the Christmas/New Year festive season, we know people will be tempted to rush to get things done,” Assistant Commissioner Driver said.
“That might include going over the speed limit or running amber or red lights.”
“The reality is, this won’t really save you any time, but it could ‘call time’ on someone’s life.”
Social media excerpt: Nine dead in a week, a motorbike clocked at 216km/h, and an eight-year-old in the back seat of a car police chased to Ballina. Now police are pleading with drivers before Christmas.
Tags: Yasmin Catley, David Driver, NSW Police Force