ANZAC Day traffic operation concludes with seven lives lost
Monday, 28 April 2025 02:51:23 PM
Police are urging drivers to take responsibility for their behaviour on the roads after seven people lost their lives across the ANZAC Day Long Weekend.
NSW Police ran Operation ANZAC Day 2025 from Thursday 24 April until Sunday 27 April and double demerits were in effect.
Seven people died in crashes during the ANZAC Day operation, one more than for the same period last year.
The total number of lives lost is 117 this year, six more deaths compared to the same period last year.
Police from specialist areas supported the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, with extended patrols across Metropolitan and Regional NSW. That included support of officers from general duties, the Public Order and Riot Squad, the Operations Support Group, the Mounted Unit, PolAir and Licensing Police.
Police targeted dangerous driver behaviour such as drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving, as well as speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and mobile phone use.
During the operation across the state, police issued a total of 9,019 infringements, including 2,538 for speeding.
Police conducted 156,260 breath tests with 249 people charged with drink-driving, and 5,232 roadside drug tests, with 547 positive detections.
Officers attended 295 major crashes, resulting in 113 people injured.
There were 313 mobile phone offences detected, 186 restraint-related offences and 5,982 other traffic infringement notices.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said this weekend is a tragic reminder that lives can irreversibly change in an instant on the road.
“We’ve seen a horror long weekend with seven lives lost on our roads. These are seven people who are not coming home and families dealing with terrible grief,” she said.
“I implore everyone to make safe, responsible choices every time you operate a motor vehicle.
“I want to thank our hardworking police who are out there 365 days a year, doing everything they can to keep the roads safe. While double demerits have now concluded, officers will continue to target unsafe, risky and illegal behaviours because we want everyone to arrive to their destination safely,” Minister Catley said.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner David Driver, said police had seen too many fatal crashes these school holidays.
“To lose any life is tragic. These deaths are avoidable,” he said.
“This should not be acceptable in our community.
“Drivers have to understand that momentary inattention can have disastrous consequences, it can take a life, and ruin many others.
“As police, we will continue to plead with drivers to travel safely, obey the road rules and reflect on how their bad decisions can impact every single road user.”
Incidents of note:
- About 2.25pm on Thursday 24 April 2025, police from Leichhardt Highway Patrol attempted to stop a Mitsubishi 380 sedan on Trafalgar Street, Stanmore, when the driver allegedly accelerated away, and a pursuit was initiated. The driver stopped on Cambridge Street, Stanmore, where the driver, a 30-year-old man – allegedly refused to exit the vehicle. He was handcuffed and taken to Newtown Police Station. Checks on his licence revealed he had allegedly not held a licence, was disqualified from obtaining one until 2038. He also allegedly tested positive to methamphetamine in an oral fluid sample. At the police station, the man returned a second positive sample to methamphetamine. He was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly; drive motor vehicle during disqualification period; and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Newtown Local Court on Monday 19 May 2025.
- About 12.20am on Friday 25 April 2025, police from Newcastle City Highway Patrol detected a driver of a BMW 3 sedan allegedly travelling above the speed limit on Griffiths Road, Lambton. Police stopped next to the driver – a 31-year-old man – who allegedly attempted to move from the driver’s seat into the front passenger’s seat, almost forcing the front passenger out of the car. The driver allegedly returned a positive roadside breath test and he was taken to Waratah Police Station. A breath analysis returned a reading of 0.190. He was issued a Court Attendance Notice for drive with high range prescribed concentration of alcohol to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 22 May 2025.
- About 11.30am on Friday 25 April 2025, police attached to Oxley Highway Patrol observed a purple Nissan Micra travelling on Ebsworth Street, Taminda. Checks showed the car registration had allegedly expired. Police followed the car, which was allegedly travelling between 90km/h and 100km/h in a signposted 50km/h zone. Police activated warning lights and sirens and the driver allegedly failed to stop and a pursuit was initiated. The driver stopped in Hercules Street and police saw a woman in the front passenger seat and a child in the rear seat. The driver – a 31-year-old woman – provided a suspended licence and she allegedly returned a positive roadside drug test before she was taken to Tamworth Police Station for further drug testing. She was charged with drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous and drive motor vehicle while licence suspended. She was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday 26 April 2025 where she was granted conditional bail to appear at Tamworth Local Court on Monday 28 April 2025.
- About 8.50am on Saturday 26 April 2025, police attached to Nowra Highway Patrol stopped a driver on Princes Highway, Nowra, for an alleged red-light offence. Police became aware of an enforceable AVO between the driver and female passenger that restricted contact. The driver- a 39-year-old man – allegedly accelerated away from police and police initiated a pursuit where the driver allegedly reached speeds of 120km/h in a 50km/h zone. Police were unable to locate the man and a search was conducted before he was arrested on Isa Road, Worrigee. He was taken to Nowra Police Station and charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously; P2 driver exceed speed more than 45km/h; contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (domestic) and hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty. He was refused to bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Sunday 27 April 2025 where he was granted conditional bail to appear at Nowra Local Court on Wednesday 7 May 2025.
- About 1.30am on Sunday 27 April 2025, police from Camden Highway Patrol detected a BMW travelling on Camden Valley Way, Catherine Field, allegedly at 153km/h in a signposted 80km/h zone. The driver – a 31-year-old man was stopped, and he was issued with a traffic infringement notice for driver exceed speed more than 45km/h. The man’s licence was suspended for six month and the registration plates of the car were confiscated for three months.
Key statistics state-wide (progressive total):
Total Traffic Infringement Notices: 9,019
Speed infringements: 2,538
Breath tests: 156,260
PCA charges: 249
Drug tests: 5,232
Positive drug-driving tests: 547
Mobile phone offences: 313
Restraint related offences: 186
Other traffic offences: 5,982
Major crashes: 295
Fatalities: 7
Persons injured: 113
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Northern Region
Total infringements: 1,924
Speed infringements: 615
Breath tests: 26,469
PCA charges: 65
Positive drug-driving tests: 123
Mobile phone offences: 32
Restraint related offences: 21
Other traffic offences: 1,256
Major crashes: 65
Fatalities: 4
Persons injured: 25
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Southern Region
Total infringements: 1,594
Speed infringements: 723
Breath tests: 28,024
PCA charges: 50
Positive drug-driving tests: 128
Mobile phone offences: 29
Restraint related offences: 16
Other traffic offences: 826
Major crashes: 44
Fatalities: 2
Persons injured: 18
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Western Region
Total infringements – 808
Speed infringements: 299
Breath tests: 12,452
PCA charges: 32
Positive drug-driving tests: 61
Mobile phone offences: 7
Restraint related offences: 10
Other traffic offences: 492
Major crashes: 21
Fatalities: 0
Persons injured: 12