NSW: NSW records highest number of road fatalities over Easter

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2009
NSW: NSW records highest number of road fatalities over Easter

SYDNEY, April 14 AAP - NSW recorded the highest Easter road toll in the country, pushed
to six by the death of a teenager who drowned when her car washed off a flooded causeway.

A total of 15 people died across Australia over the long weekend, and of the six road
deaths in NSW, half were pedestrians.

The result contrasts with last Easter, when no fatalities were recorded on NSW roads.

Traffic Services Commander Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said this year Operation
Tortoise netted 575 motorists for drink driving offences, 5,784 for speeding and 8,938
other for offences such as using mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts.

The number of motorists caught speeding was 317 more than last year, but drink driving
offences dropped by 58, he said.

But Mr Hartley said police would be reviewing strategies after the alcohol-related
deaths of three pedestrians.

"I think there needs to be a fair bit of education regarding pedestrians and furthermore,
pedestrians and alcohol safety," Mr Hartley told reporters in Sydney.

"We see a pattern there of pedestrians late at night, dark roads not being illuminated
and they step out in front of vehicles."

While the higher Easter road toll in NSW was a concern, Mr Hartley said crashes causing
death or serious injury were down 20 or 30 per cent.

But the Operation Tortoise statistics - with more than 15,000 motorists were caught
breaking the law - proved motorists continued to ignore road safety warnings.

"It's beyond my comprehension that despite all the warnings of speeding, drink driving
and not wearing seatbelts, people continue to act up behind the wheel and play Russian
roulette with their lives," Mr Hartley said.

A 19-year-old woman was the last to lose her life on NSW roads this Easter, drowning
after driving into a flooded causeway about 14km east of Cootamundra, in the state's south
east, about 9pm (AEST) on Monday.

Her 22-year-old passenger managed to swim to safety and was picked up by a truck driver.

On Sunday, a 31-year-old man died when his truck crashed on Weabonga Road at Ogunbil,
near Tamworth, in central NSW.

In Sydney, a 16-year-old boy in the passenger of an allegedly stolen car was killed
when it crashed on Thursday.

NSW Police Minister Tony Kelly said drivers and pedestrians should remain vigilant
for the rest of the school holidays.

"Now is not the time to become complacent," he said.

Five people were killed on Queensland roads while Victoria, Western Australia, the
ACT and Tasmania recorded one fatality each.

South Australia and the Northern Territory were fatality free.



(EDS: AAP's Easter road toll figures are for the period 0001 April 9 to 2359 April
13. Some states and territories may have different periods.)

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KEYWORD: TOLL NSW WRAP

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