Police call on Tamworth drivers to team up with local police to help stop drug-driving – Operation Impairment

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Highway Patrol officers want Tamworth drivers to help them combat drug-driving as ‘Operation Impairment’ arrives at the Tamworth Show this week.

Drug driving has emerged to become one of the ‘fatal five’ killers on NSW roads. Last year, new data released by the Centre for Road Safety revealed 11 per cent of road fatalities involved a driver or motorcyclist who had illicit drugs in their system.

The Operation Impairment road show, funded by the Centre for Road Safety, is based on the ‘Momentum’ display that travelled the state last year. It takes in 21 regional shows and events and makes its final stop at the Sydney 500 V8 Supercar race in December.

The roadshow will arrive at the Tamworth Show today (Wednesday 11 March 2015), and will be on display until Sunday (15 March 2015).

NSW Police Force Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, said drug-driving was not linked to just one area.

“What we have found is drug drivers are just as likely to be on the roads in country NSW as they are in metropolitan Sydney.

“Because drug drivers are just as likely to be on regional roads, this year’s road show Operation Impairment, is travelling to major events across NSW to educate communities about how dangerous drug-impaired driving is.

“We are pleased to partner with the Centre for Road Safety again this year and will travel to shows and community events highlighting the message – ‘Drug Driving; it’s a Crime.’

“Operation Impairment has something for everyone and I encourage everybody no matter what your interest, to come and see the display this year, which is both informative and interactive,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.

To further promote this year’s road safety message, police are using the hashtag #DrugDriving across social media.

Features at this year’s road show include:

  • State-of-the-art high-visibility highway patrol cars, featuring all of the technology police have at their disposal to combat drug-impaired motorists;
  • Road safety handouts and information
  • Police and Centre for Road Safety show bags.

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