Operation RAID: Remove All Impaired Drivers

Tasmania Police is joining other Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions this weekend in targeting drivers affected by alcohol or drugs.

Operation Raid is an initiative of Police Commissioners across Australia and New Zealand to raise awareness of the road safety implications of drink/drug driving.

Operation Raid has been underway since midnight and will continue in Tasmania until midnight on Sunday.

This weekend Tasmanian motorists will see an increase in Random Breath Testing operations across the state as part of a coordinated and high profile approach to reinforcing the road safety message.

“In the lead up to Christmas this is a timely reminder to motorists to be aware of the impact of alcohol and drugs on their driving,” said the Commissioner of Police, Darren Hine.

“In 2009, alcohol was a factor in almost 10 per cent of serious and fatal crashes in Tasmania, and drugs were a factor in almost six per cent of serious and fatal crashes,” said Mr Hine. (DIER statistics)

“These figures are alarming and we’re asking that people leave the car at home and arrange alternative transport if they plan to consume alcohol.”

“Our aim is to make Tasmania’s roads as safe as possible by removing drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs.

“Operation RAID is not about catching large numbers of impaired drivers; we don’t want to see high numbers of people caught over the limit. Instead we want people to be aware of the risks involved in driving while impaired, and the risk of being Random Breath Tested.”

STATISTICS

• This year (to end Oct 2010) just over 3,500 Tasmanians have been caught drink driving, and almost 240 people have been caught driving under the influence of drugs.
• 9% of Tasmanian respondents admitted to having driven when they felt they may have been over the 0.05 alcohol limit in 2009-10. (National Survey of Community Satisfaction with Policing 2009-10)
• The cost of road traffic crashes in Australia has been estimated to be $15 billion per year, with total human costs totalling $8.4 billion. (Bureau of Transport Economics, 2000)
• 23% of those who had used an illicit drug in the previous 12 months also reported having driven under the influence of drugs during this time (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2005)

Tasmania Police Media
(03) 6230 2296