Police bust 340 drunk drivers over the holidays
A woman has returned a reading more than five times the legal limit after allegedly being caught drink driving with no lights on and running a red light in the Sydney suburb of Burwood.
Police have caught and charged a total of 340 alleged drink drivers in NSW between Christmas eve and January 1.
The 29-year-old woman returned a positive roadside breath test and was arrested and taken for a breath analysis just after 1am on Friday, police said.
She returned an alleged reading of 0.267 and was charged with high-range drink driving.
‘Some drivers believe the law doesn't apply to them’
Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb said many people are caught the day after a big night out under the false belief they're okay to drive after not drinking for several hours.
"Experience has shown that alcohol, exceeding the speed limit and driving whilst fatigued are major factors in fatal and serious injury crashes, not just in regional NSW, but across Metropolitan Sydney as well," she said.
"Clearly from some of the examples detected in the last 24 hours, some drivers believe the law doesn't apply to them, and such driving behaviour puts not only their own lives at risk, but also the lives of other road users."
At about 7am on Thursday a P-plate motorcyclist was allegedly caught doing 180km/h in a 100km zone near Mudgee.
He was fined more than $2500 after telling officers he was running late for work.
Double demerit points until January 3
In another incident police slowed a stolen Toyota Landcruiser using a tyre deflation device after it was seen speeding just before 11pm on Thursday north of Coffs Harbour.
The driver tried to keep going before colliding with a parked van and continuing on foot with two other occupants.
A passenger was arrested and charged and police are searching for the other men.
Drivers caught speeding, not wearing a seatbelt or using their mobile phone face double demerit points during the statewide operation from December 24 to January 3.
There have been 6978 speeding fines and 6128 infringement notices for other driving offences issued so far.
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