Operation Papa Austrans

Queensland Police Service will be out in force over the next week as part of a national safety campaign targeting heavy vehicles on the road.

Operation Papa Austrans is a national road safety blitz that involved intercepting and targeting heavy vehicles and drivers.

In the past, an alarming number of heavy vehicle drivers have been found drink and drug driving as well as being caught for speeding, seatbelt and log book type offences.

Acting Superintendent for the Road Police Command Peter Flanders said that a vast majority of truck and heavy vehicle drivers do the right thing, there are always some that think the laws of Queensland don’t apply to them.

“We know from extensive research that the fatal five factors of drink and drug driving, distraction, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and fatigue all play a significant part in the trauma we see on our roads,” Acting Superintendent Flanders said.

“I want everyone to know that we take the safety of all road users very seriously.”

A national day of drug testing occurred yesterday with 469 tests conducted at the Coomera weigh pads located just off the Pacific Motorway northbound. Of those, seven drivers returned a positive drug test.

The campaign has also seen 11 infringements handed out as a result of the operation so far, with offences including speeding, seat belts, mobile phones, defective vehicles and driving unregistered or uninsured.

“The numbers are concerning to me as each one of these numbers could have resulted in a fatality,’ Acting Superintendent Flanders said.

“Given that we are coming into the holiday season which will see a lot of people hitting the road, all motorists need to remember to drive safely.”

Operation Papa Austrans will continue until December 9.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.