Motorists on the Kings Highway were booked for dangerous overtaking, speeding, and other offences, as Canberrans flocked to the south coast for the beginning of the long weekend yesterday.
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The first day of the Easter break led to heavy volumes of traffic flowing along the highway.
Police had last week pleaded with motorists to help avoid a repeat of the tragic spate of fatalities along the Kings Highway on the Canberra Day long weekend. Those crashes killed five people, including two children.
Queanbeyan police said most motorists had generally been well behaved yesterday.
But Inspector Anthony Hill said highway patrol cars had still witnessed some worrying behaviour on the highway.
Impatience had led to a number of cars overtaking across double lines or along dangerous stretches of road.
Inspector Hill urged motorists to drive safely in the region for the remainder of the long weekend.
''I ask all motorists to consider their own safety and that of others by obeying speed limits and driving to the road and traffic conditions this holiday period,'' he said.
''Given the recent tragic road accident deaths witnessed on the Kings Highway, speeding and impatient drivers who place themselves and others at risk can expect little tolerance from Highway Patrol Police.''
Inspector Hill said an extra 10 officers had been drawn from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Strike Force to police the Monaro area.
He said attention would be focussed on major arterial roads, including the Federal, Monaro and Kings highways.
Police issued about 3000 traffic infringements across NSW on the first day of the Easter road blitz.
Police charged 18 people with drink driving, recorded more than 1000 speeding offences, and handed out another 1935 traffic infringement notices.
NSW Traffic and Highway Patrol commander Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said speeding contributed to 40 per cent of fatal crashes and cost the community $1.7 billion each year.
''While a majority of motorists are obeying the speed limit and road rules, we still have a few drivers who seem to think they are above the law,'' Commissioner Hartley said.
Dangerous driving was also seen on the streets of Canberra, according to ACT Policing.
A police chase reached speeds of up to 130km/h in a 60km/h zone in Tuggeranong on Thursday afternoon.
Police had attempted to stop a car about 4.20pm, after officers allegedly witnessed it speeding at 126km/h along O'Halloran Circuit in Kambah.
Police called off the pursuit within 20 seconds, but soon found the three men believed to be inside the car on foot. Two of the men have been charged and are expected to appear before court this morning.
