"I PRAY that no one else loses their life on our roads".
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That's what Peel Highway Patrol manager Inspector Kelly Wixx had to say after a crackdown on drivers behaving badly during the long weekend.
During the double demerit blitz, highway officers clocked 190 drivers speeding, and eight drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol across the Oxley and New England police districts.
Seven people were caught without seatbelts, two were booked using their mobile phones, and more than 200 people were caught committing other driving offences.
More than 6000 drivers were subject to road side breath tests.
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"I don't know how I'm supposed to convey how serious it is to make good decisions when you drive," Inspector Wixx said.
"It's continually frustrating that people are not taking the road safety message seriously."
On Sunday, October 1, at about 9:20pm, police were called to a car crash on Evans Street, in Westdale.
A woman was breathalised by police, and returned a positive blood alcohol reading of .237, almost five times the legal limit.
Her licence was suspended, and she was issued a notice to front Tamworth Local Court
The driver of a Toyota Hilux, a 27-year-old man, died at the scene.
Another 27-year-old man, the driver of a Mazda BT-50 ute, was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, and is expected to front court in November.
Inspector Wixx said if the driver is convicted of the offence, he will have to "live with the consequences" for the rest of his life.
"Any loss of life is a loss of life and it should be treated as such," she said.
"People just don't comprehend the aftermath of what a fatality crash involves."
Since the start of the year, police have seen a steady increase in the number of driving offences.
In the Oxley Police District alone 5230 drivers have been caught speeding since January 1.
"That's disgusting," Inspector Wixx said.
Across both the Oxley and New England police districts 7910 infringement notices have been issues for speeding, 386 people have been arrested for driving while drunk, and 576 drivers have been detected with drugs in their system.
"Those numbers just floor me," Inspector Wixx said.
"People are just taking risks, people are just not obeying the road rules.
"This is what's really frustrating."
As the end of the year nears, and the festive season arrives, police are increasingly concerned about what the next few months could bring.
Inspector Wixx said it's commonly known as the "bad time of the year" on the roads.
"This is the time where people start to get really complacent," she said.
"If people are already complacent now, I hate to think what the rest of the year is going to be."
With the school holidays still in full swing, drivers are urged to plan their trips, prepare for traffic, and think before getting behind the wheel.
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