Riders travelling through regional NSW this weekend not only need to be on the lookout for bushfires and road closures, but also police.
NSW Police have launched Operation Chrome which they say will be “focusing on reducing rural road trauma this weekend”.
Operation Chrome is being conducted in the Northern, Southern and Western regions tomorrow (Friday 29 November 2019) and Saturday (30 November 2019).
Here is the full police press release:
The operation will utilise police from all districts within each region, working alongside officers from the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command to provide a coordinated effort to reducing rural road trauma.
Police will be targeting poor driving behaviours on rural roads – including speeding, drink and drug-driving, not wearing seatbelts, using a mobile phone behind the wheel and fatigue.
Drivers and riders should expect to see more police on rural roads and highways over the weekend.
Northern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Max Mitchell APM, said reducing rural road trauma is a top priority for the regional NSW.
“So far in 2019, 234 people have lost their lives on regional roads – that’s 19 more than this time last year.
“Operation Chrome is designed to not only target the main highways, but the back roads and suburban streets. Expect to see us in numbers this weekend. It won’t just be officers from the Traffic & Highway Patrol that will be tasked with keeping everyone safe on our roads.
“If you are on the road and doing something wrong, you will be stopped by police in an unmarked car, general duties police, or one of our highway patrol officers.
“Our main aim is to stop fatal crashes before they happen. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. It’s that simple,” Assistant Commissioner Mitchell said.
Now don’t say you haven’t been given a decent warning!