New road laws combining drink and drug driving and changing the mobile speed camera system have been announced as part of a major crackdown on NSW road and traffic offences.
Unveiled by the Minister for Transport and Roads, Andrew Constance, the harsher penalties for drink and drug driving will apply next year as will the gradual introduction of the mobile speed camera program changes.
“Research shows you are 23 times more likely to crash if you are under the influence of both alcohol and drugs,” Mr Constance said.
“This massive, life-threatening risk needs a stronger penalty.”
He said the road network had seen reckless and irresponsible behaviour result in too many deaths and serious injuries, and tougher penalties are to be introduced to send a message that such form of behaviour will not be tolerated.
Mr Constance said that since 2015, 101 serious crashes involved a driver or rider with illegal levels of both alcohol and drugs in their systems, with the crashes killing 98 people and seriously injuring another 52.
He said the changes to the mobile speed camera program was about changing culture and behaviour.
“We’ve seen it happen with our world leading mobile phone detection program, where the rate of people offending has steadily declined,” the Minister said.
“No warning signs mean you can be caught anywhere, anytime and we want that same culture around mobile speed cameras.”
He said independent modelling from Melbourne’s Monash University Accident Research Centre revealed that adding the enhancements to the mobile speed camera program could save between 34 and 43 lives, and prevent around 600 serious injuries in NSW each year.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Paul Toole said country people made up a third of the NSW population, but deaths on country roads last year made up two-thirds of the road toll.
“To see so many lives lost on country roads, where the impacts are felt across entire communities, is devastating,” Mr Toole said.
“Last year, 136 people in NSW lost their lives and 2,941 were injured because someone was speeding, so the message is clear: remember that every time you get behind the wheel, the choices we make can have fatal consequences.”
Mr Toole said the new measures would not only target the small proportion of motorists who did the wrong thing, but also re-invest fines in life-saving infrastructure on country roads to ensure every journey is a safer one.
He said the money generated from the mobile speed camera program would go directly to road safety initiatives through the Community Road Safety Fund.
