Road blitz keeps roads safe

South West roads were fatality free this Easter after a high-visibility campaign by police all over the region.

Operation Crossroads 2011 Easter campaign was a success, according to acting South West traffic officer-in-charge Acting Sgt Laurie Green.

‘‘We were pretty much accident and fatality free,’’ he said.

The operation targeted up to 40,000 motorists who passed through Bunbury and other South West towns on the extended five-day long-weekend.

Acting Sgt Green said while most drivers did the right thing, South West traffic officers did hand out a number of infringements.

He said 139 infringements were given out in the South West, which included 99 for speeding.

A 17-year-old Australind boy also had his car impounded after allegedly being caught doing 180kmh in an 80kmh zone on the Australind Bypass.

He was charged with reckless driving and is now without his car for 28 days, along with five other motorists who also had their cars impounded over the holiday break.

Police also caught 16 unregistered vehicles and charged four drivers with driving with a blood alcohol level above 0.08.

Police on motorbikes and two cars from the Perth-based Traffic Enforcement Group helped patrol the highways in the Southern corridor.

And hand-held speed cameras as well as fixed multanovas were used on South West roads.

Sgt Green also said double demerit points were a great incentive to keep drivers safe on the roads during the holiday period.

‘‘Combining double demerit points and everyone pulling together to make it known has been great,’’ he said.

The road toll to date on country roads, as of yesterday, was 25.