Peel Highway Patrol police catch hundreds of offenders during Operation Australia Day but focus is always on road safety

Peel Highway Patrol manager Inspector Kelly Wixx told the Leader a significant level of drug and drink driving offences had been detected on the region's roads during a 12-day operation.

Out of about 8000 vehicle stops in the New England and Oxley police districts from January 21 to February 1, 28 drivers were caught drink driving and 39 were detected with illicit drugs in their systems.

"I don't think drivers are aware of what the dangers are driving while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs," Inspector Wixx said on Wednesday, after the state-wide Operation Australia Day wrapped up.

"They are either ignorant of what they are doing, or they just don't care.

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"They don't have consideration for other people on the roads and it's a very selfish act."

Inspector Wixx revealed the highest blood alcohol reading detected in a person behind the wheel of a car across the Peel region during the targeted crackdown was 0.245 - almost five times the legal limit - near Walcha.

However, the operation was deemed a success overall.

"We did see a decrease in the amount of serious motor vehicle collisions in comparison to the same time last year, so that's always a positive," Inspector Wixx said.

Up to the final day of the operation, Peel Highway Patrol officers detected 23 people not wearing seatbelts and six using mobile phones while driving.

Almost 500 speeding tickets were dished out and there were 557 further infringements issued for other road offences.

Inspector Wixx said a number of police pursuits had been initiated and officers were now appealing for any information.

"Police are investigating the circumstances to identify the drivers," she said.

Inspector Wixx said highway patrol officers were always focused on road safety, whether there was an operation or not.

"We make no excuses for the robust nature of how we police our roads - we have a job to do and we have a responsibility to do the right thing," she said.

She also reminded locals that school zones came back into force this week.

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