NOTHING ever prepares you for being called to a road fatality, NSW Police Acting Inspector Jason Bush said in the lead-up to the Australia Day long weekend.
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The long time police officer will be among those on patrol during a four-day blitz that starts on Friday to help ensure people arrive home safely to their families.
There has already been three fatalities on Western NSW roads so far this year - a female passenger when a 4WD and truck collided, a male motorcyclist and a man who was killed in a single-vehicle rollover.
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As the Western Region Traffic Tactician, Acting Insp Bush has urged people to "focus on their number one job while behind the wheel, driving".
"A large majority of car crashes involve local people and it does affect emergency services and you see the ripple effect through the community," he said.
"Regional roads have a higher fatality rate than our metropolitan counterparts.
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"It's the distances we travel, and things like speeding and complacency."
Operation Safe Return runs until 11.59pm on Monday and police will be offering up double demerit points for a range of areas, including: speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences.
Acting Insp Bush said more police will be on the highways and back roads during the four-day period with high numbers of motorists expected due to the end of school holidays.
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"We'll also be encouraging people to take advantage of rest areas during this period," he said.
"Be attentive of your own actions [on the road] and the environmental factors around you.
"Don't be distracted by your mobile phone."
Operation Safe Return data for NSW in 2019
- 4584 infringements were issued for speeding
- 8257 other infringements were issued
- 478 people were charged with drink-driving
- 190,870 breath tests were conducted
- Three lives were lost
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