8 June, 2023
Police Beat visits Charlton
The Mobile Police Beat visited Charlton last week with a message of road safety and care after 27 people died on South Queensland roads during the June/July period last year.
The visit came in a week when a person was seriously injured in a collision between a car and a truck at Zimms Corner.
On Sunday, a young Pittsworth man was killed riding a motorbike on the Gore Highway between Southbrook and Westbrook.
Darling Downs District Patrol Group Inspector Danny Shaw said given the tragic accidents that had occurred in the Oakey district in recent times, Charlton was an important place to visit.
“We’re targeting behaviours we are seeking to curb,” he said.
“Our aim is to get people to focus on what they are doing while they drive.”
The Police Beat took place as part of Operation Auster, a regional road safety campaign aiming to reduce road trauma and save lives.
Inspector Shaw said police were travelling from Ipswich to Roma, spreading the word and monitoring driver behaviour.
“It’s a region wide operation including Esk/Toogoolawah out to Roma and down to Warwick,” he said.
“So far during the Operation, we picked up someone detected at 145km/h on the Brisbane Valley Highway.”
Senior Sergeant David Campbell said Operation Auster had been prompted by a spike in deaths on Southern Queensland roads during the period of June/July last year.
“About 27 lives were lost during June and July last year,” he said.
“We’ve seen an increase in drink and drug-driving and that’s why we’re out here this week.”
“We’d just like people to be safe out there so they can go home to their families.”
“The impacts of crashes are long-lasting.”
For those who stopped by, free coffee and bumper stickers were on offer last Tuesday at the BP Roadhouse.
PCYC Volunteers assisted police with the stall which had information around how to drive safely and to best stay alert on the roads during risk periods.
Senior Sergeant Campbell said that as part of Operation Auster, 76 Traffic Infringement Notices have been handed out as of last week, including 32 for speeding and six for driving disqualified or without a licence.
“Seven unregistered vehicles have been picked up,” he said.
“Four hundred and seventy two random breath tests have been conducted with zero drink drivers detected so far.”
“Forty random drug tests have been conducted with eight drug drivers detected so far.”
“In 2022, about 38% of the incidents have been drink-driving or drug driving, with 8 drug-driving deaths.”
People in Oakey know the dangers of driving carelessly all too well, following the deaths of a family on the Warrego Highway at the Oakey Creek Bridge earlier this year.
Last year, a passenger died after the car his friend from Oakey was driving whilst allegedly intoxicated crashed on the Warrego Highway.
The Oakey man has remanded himself in custody after accepting responsibility for the death of his friend, despite having the option to remain free until his trial.
In total, 59 lives were lost on Queensland roads last year, the highest tally since 2013.
