Anyone considering taking a leisurely drive on ACT roads during lockdown is urged to think again.
The current ACT lockdown restrictions prohibit driving your vehicle without a legitimate reason, yet police are concerned around the volume of cars on Canberra roads.
ACT Road Policing is warning Canberrans taking a drive without proper cause that they are continuing their “anytime, anywhere” policy of checking vehicles and conducting traffic stops.
Drivers and passengers will need to provide legitimate reasons to be on the road, and those without satisfactory cause may face fines of up to $1,000 for breaching health directions.
ACT Policing Acting Inspector of Road Policing Stephen Booth said Canberrans overall are doing a great job complying with restrictions, but the increasing volume of cars on the road indicates some are not.
“We are concerned that people are seeing the existing restrictions as flexible or they think – it’s okay, I’m just going here, or there,” he said.
“As the lockdown has progressed, we are seeing more and more cars on the road, which indicates to us people are not understanding what is essential, and they’re not recognising that each trip means the chance of contact with other people greatly increases.
“We need people to stay focused so we can get through this as quickly as possible together.”
Travelling outside your home is restricted for essential reasons only; these reasons are listed on the ACT Covid-19 website.
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