Safety message ignored

Twenty-one South West motorists are facing drink driving charges and having their cars impounded after the first weekend of a police crackdown on Christmas folly on the roads.

Picture by David Bailey

Launched by South West police last Friday, Operation Select will run until January 8 with a focus on driver decision making.

Photographed by speed cameras driving 45kmh ormore over the posted limit, seven offenders are facing having their vehicles impounded under hoon laws.

Another 14 were charged with drink driving.

District traffic coordinator Sergeant Mark Smith said it was disappointing the road safety message was being ignored by some motorists.

‘‘Since the commencement of the road campaign, throughout the district we’ve had an unacceptable number of people apprehended and charged with drink diving offences,’’ Sgt Smith said.

‘‘The good news is we haven’t had any serious crashes, but the way people were driving over the weekend, there was a bit of luck associated with that.’’

As part of Operation Select, police are putting more patrols on the road late at night and in the early hours of the morning to target drink drivers.

As well as testing for alcohol, Sgt Smith said police would conduct blood tests if they believed the driver to be under the influence of drugs.

‘‘Don’t think you can get away with it because you are on a quiet back road as we have our resources patrolling those roads as well — you will get caught if you take the risk,’’ he said.