A multitude of people have been caught breaking the law at beach driving hotspots around the region during a four-day sting by police.
North Coast police issued 118 Traffic Infringement Notices – for speeding, defective vehicles, unsecured loads and failing to wear a helmet – at Noosa North Shore, Teewah Beach and the Cooloola Coast, from December 27 to December 30.
Sunshine Coast Highway Patrol officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Shane Panoho told Sunshine Coast News before Christmas that Operation Sandstorm would be ramping up.
The clampdown and subsequent charges, more recently highlighted in a Queensland Police Service media release, are part of a safety blitz targeting campers and visitors that engage in risk-taking behaviour with their vehicles on the beach.
One 17-year-old boy was issued a notice after he was allegedly seen by police sitting on the passenger side windowsill of the vehicle that was travelling in an 80kmh zone.
Police conducted 229 roadside breath tests and 23 roadside drug tests during the period.
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A 23-year-old man from Bundaberg was charged with drink driving after allegedly returning a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.051 per cent, and will appear before Gympie Magistrates Court on January 18.
Five drivers allegedly tested positive to a relevant drug.
The swoop followed the launch of Operation Mistletoe earlier this month – a state-wide road safety campaign during the festive season, targeting the Fatal Five: speeding, failure to wear seatbelts, drink and drug driving, fatigue and driver distraction.
Two-hundred-and-seventy-seven people lost their lives on Queensland roads last year.
Wide Bay District Superintendent Paul Algie said drivers could expect to see police anywhere and anytime.
“Every decision you make behind the wheel counts,” he said via the release.
“We want to ensure everyone is going home to their loved ones this Christmas.
“Driving on beaches can be hazardous and dangerous. The surfaces are different from what most of us are used to and require drivers to take additional care.
“Vehicle standards are safety standards. Defective or unroadworthy vehicles will be intercepted and drivers issued with infringement notices, and we make no apology for that.
“Safety should be every motorist’s priority every time they get behind the wheel, regardless of their location.”
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