Fair warning to Tasmanian road users: Operation Zero begins at midnight.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Mark Mewis said that the next stage of Operation Zero – a 24-hour traffic blitz – would start at midnight tonight.

More than five times the usual amount of rostered officers throughout the State will target road safety offences, especially the Fatal Five: speeding, drink/drug driving and drug-driving, inattention (such as texting while driving), driving tired and not wearing seatbelts.

It follows a two-week social media campaign to make drivers more aware of the road rules.

Acting Commissioner Mewis said there were more than 6,000 crashes in Tasmania in the past year and Operation Zero aims to reduce the number of these crashes by encouraging drivers to stick to the road rules – all the time.

“Zero road offences means zero tragedy,” he said.

Tasmania Police has been promoting Operation Zero for the past two weeks on its Facebook page that has included road rules and facts.

Operation Zero is sponsored by the Road Safety Advisory Council. Chair Jim Cox said the Operation highlighted the need for all road users to use the road safely all the time.

“If we respect each other on the road by sticking to the rules, we will reduce the number of people who don’t get home safely, or not at all.”

More information about road rules is at http://www.transport.tas.gov.au/licensing/publications/tasmanian_road_rules to ensure you are driving correctly and keeping our roads safe.