POLICE have highlighted their major, annual high-visibility South Australian road safety operation in a bid to make drivers consider their responsibilities behind the wheel over the festive period.
Operation Safe Holidays sees police focused on the five key factors which contribute to road fatalities and serious injury crashes each year.
The factors, commonly called the Fatal Five, are:
• Speeding
• Drink or drug driving
• Seatbelt use
• Dangerous road users
• Distracted drivers
SA Police Traffic Support Branch officer in charge Superintendent Bob Gray said police knew changing driver behaviour in relation to these factors would lower the road toll and the number of serious injury crashes that have such a terrible impact each year on South Australian roads.
“Ultimately drivers who ignore these factors are making a choice to disregard their own or someone else’s safety,” he said.
“Every time they make that choice, they create the risk that a police officer will have to go and impart terrible news to a family.
“Police will be on the roads throughout the festive season doing our part for road safety, so I am asking motorists to work with us to ensure we all stay safe and sound this summer.”
During the operation, which runs until January 1, police will have a high-visibility presence at locations with the highest traffic volumes or on roads that analysis has shown pose the greatest risk.
