The ACT and the Northern Territory were the only jurisdictions with no road deaths during the Christmas-New Year holidays, but ACT Police are disappointed by the high number of people caught drink-driving and speeding.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Both the territories had a zero road toll between December 23 and January 3, according to the latest Australia-New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) national results, but the national result showed no improvement.
Eight road deaths were recorded in South Australia, and seven in NSW as the two highest readings contributing to the national toll of 28.
During the same period, ACT Policing conducted 10,594 random breath tests, with 32 returning positive results for alcohol.
Police issued 149 traffic infringement notices for speeding, 16 for seatbelt offences, and 25 for mobile phone offences.
A further 51 notices were issued for driver's licence-related offences, including failing to carry a licence or driving while disqualified and police seized one vehicle for a burnout offence.
Acting officer in charge of traffic operations Sergeant Tracey Duck said no deaths on ACT roads over the holiday break was a good outcome for the territory, but the number of drivers detected speeding and drink-driving was a disappointment.
"Rest assured, police will continue to maintain a high-profile presence on ACT roads so drivers who flout the law with risk-taking behaviour will get caught," she said.
On the roads throughout the territory, NSW police charged about 200 people with drink-driving offences during the summer break and breath-tested about 190,000 motorists.
