A 22-year-old ACT man will face Goulburn Local Court after he was caught speeding, driving on an expired licence, and allegedly returned a breath analysis more than three times over the legal limit, on the Hume Highway at Goulburn on Australia Day.

About 10.40pm on Friday 26 January, Goulburn Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle on the Hume Highway after it was detected travelling at 140km/h in a signposted 110km/h zone. The 22-year-old driver produced an expired licence. He was breath tested, returning a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Goulburn Police Station where a breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.152. The man was issued a court attendance notice for drive with high range PCA and his licence was suspended.

He is due to appear at Goulburn Local Court at a later date. He was also issued with infringement notices for exceed speed more than 30km/h speeding offence and drive with an expired licence.

NSW Police said his was just one of “a concerning number of dangerous driving incidents, including excessive speed, high-range drink-driving, and reckless driving” they recorded over the Australia Day long weekend. Operation Australia Day 2024 commenced at 00.01am on Thursday 25 January and ran until 11.59pm yesterday, Sunday 28 January.

Double demerit points were in force for the duration of the operation for speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt, and motorcycle helmet offences.

The Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, together with local police, patrolled roads across NSW, targeting dangerous driving behaviour and risks on the roads, with the aim of preventing injury and death.

NSW Police issued 3,682 speed infringements, conducted 122,617 breath tests with 244 people charged with drink-driving, 543 positive roadside drug detections, and attended 302 major crashes, resulting in 110 people injured.

Four people died on NSW roads, compared to two for the same period the previous year.

Other examples of dangerous driver behaviour detected during the operation included:

About 9.10pm on Thursday 25 January, officers stopped a vehicle on the Princes Highway at South Nowra and the driver, a 53-year-old woman was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result. She was arrested and taken to Nowra Police Station where a secondary breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.224, more than four times the legal limit of 0.05. She was issued a court attendance notice for High Range PCA and is due to appear at Nowra Local Court on Tuesday 20 February.

About 10.30pm on Thursday 25 January, the 20-year-old male rider of an Aprilla motorcycle was stopped on Oran Park Drive, Oran Park after allegedly being detected at 150km/h in a signposted 60km/h zone. He was issued an infringement for exceed speed more than 45km/h and his licence was suspended.

About 6am on Friday 26 January, officers stopped a vehicle on stopped on the Pacific Highway, Korora after it was allegedly detected at 76 km/h in a signposted 60 km/h zone. The driver, a 51-year-old woman was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result. She was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station where a secondary breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.192. She was charged with high range PCA and will appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Wednesday 28 February. Her licence was suspended.

On Friday 26 January about 7.20am, Mittagong Traffic and Highway Patrol were conducting speed enforcement on the Hume Highway at Yerrinbool when they recorded a Toyota Kluger travelling north at 158km/h in the signposted 110km/h zone. The vehicle was stopped and the driver, a 23-year-old man, was issued an infringement for exceed speed more than 45km/h. His P2 licence was also suspended for six months, and the vehicle’s registration plates were confiscated for three months.

About 11.15pm on Friday 26 January, police stopped a Lamborghini on the M5 at Bexley, after it was allegedly detected at 130km/h in the signposted 80km/h zone. The driver, 27-year-old Rockdale man, was issued an infringement for exceed speed more than 45km/h and his licence was suspended for six months.

Just after 10am on Saturday 27 January, officers attached to Lake Illawarra Police District were conducting stationary RBT on Jamberoo Road, Albion Park, when a motorcycle failed to stop. Officers attempted to catch up to the motorcycle which overtook at least 12 vehicles, reaching speeds of 150km/h in the signposted 80km/h zone. Police terminated the pursuit, and the motorcycle was located at a Jamberoo property a short time later. The rider, a 17-year-old male, was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where he was issued a court attendance notice for police pursuit – manner dangerous, drive whilst suspended and fail to stop. He is due to appear in Kiama Local Court on Monday 4 March. His licence was also suspended, and the motorcycle impounded. He was also issued an infringement for unlawfully possess thing resemble number plate.

About 11.30pm on Saturday 27 January, Manning Great Lakes Traffic and Highway Patrol detected a Mitsubishi travelling along the Pacific Highway, Jones Island, at 160km/h in a signposted 100km/h zone. The vehicle was stopped and the driver, a 25-year-old man, was breath tested, returning a positive result. He was arrested and taken to Taree Police Station, where a secondary breath analysis returned an alleged reading of 0.168. He also returned a positive oral fluid test for cocaine. He was issued a court attendance notice for drive with high range PCA and illicit drug (combined offence), drive with high range PCA and exceed speed limit more than 45km/h. He is due appear in Taree Local Court on Tuesday 12 March. His driver’s licence was also suspended.

At 4pm yesterday, Sunday 28 January, Wagga Wagga Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a Ford ranger on the sturt Highway, Collingullie. The driver, a 20-year-old man, was unable to produce a licence and checks revealed his P2 licence was suspended. The man was arrested taken to Wagga Police station where his identification was confirmed, and he was charged drive whilst suspended and passenger seatbelt not adjusted/fastened. He is due to appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday 17 April.

About 4.30pm yesterday, Sunday 28 January, Hawkesbury Traffic and Highway Patrol stopped a Toyota Camry on the Bells Line of Road, Bilpin, after it was detected at 115km/h in a signposted 80 km/h zone. The driver, a 35-year-old woman, was spoken to and checked revealed her licence was disqualified. She was subjected to a roadside drug test, returning a positive result before being arrested and taken to Windsor Police Station. She was charged with exceed speed more than 30km/h, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, and Breach of Bail. She is due to appear at Penrith Local Court today, Monday 29 January.