FOLLOWING a successful road policing campaign over the Labour Day long weekend – when they conducted 3233 roadside tests and detected 380 offences – Kingston police will be out in force this Easter break.
During that weekend in March, they caught 11 drink/drivers and 70 speeding drivers – several more than 25km over the limit – as well as 56 drivers using mobile phones and 52 driving unregistered cars. Two cars were impounded.
Police detected a large number of drivers illegally using mobile phones and other items. Speeding offences were also up on previous years.
“We also processed a number of individuals for drink driving,” Local Area Commander Inspector Bruce Wemyss said.
“It is clear from the data relating to offences detected then that we need to focus on drink-and-drug driving, speeding and distraction offences.”
The police focus is now on Easter, with Operation Crossroads taking place between Easter Thursday and the evening of Easter Monday.
“I call on motorists to take care as they head off on their Easter break,” he said. “We are absolutely committed to reducing road trauma on our local streets and thoroughfares.”
Motorists on the roads during the operation should expect to be breath or drug tested at any of the large number of random testing stations across the municipality.
Police warn that because of the spike in the number of drivers in March found illegally using their mobile phones, they “will continue to deploy strategies that not only detect obvious breaches but also identify those trying to hide this use in their laps”.
All patrols will monitor driver activity and, along with specialist traffic cars, will take action wherever inappropriate behaviour is detected.
“We know that distraction and inattention are key contributors to road trauma and this will be very much a focus for us moving forward,” Inspector Wemyss said.
“Please ensure that you remain alert and take responsibility for your safety and the safety of your family, friends and other road users over Easter. Do not become another statistic.”
