Despite the number of driving offences and tickets issued in the Cootamundra LAC over the weekend, Sergeant Prentice said that other than a few minor accidents the local roads overall were fatality free.

Police were kept very busy on the weekend with over 4,000 breath tests conducted, three high range PCA offences, 13 tickets issued for seat belt restraint offences, 126 speeding tickets issued and 111 tickets issued for licence, unregistered vehicles and heavy vehicle offences.

Police within the Riverina cluster area were very disturbed by the large number of seat belt offences and though the number of high range PCA offences were few, they were still too many.

NSW police launched Operation Tortoise on the Thursday before Easter with double demerit points to continue through until midnight on Easter Monday. 

Double demerit points will be enforced again over the coming Anzac weekend.

Sergeant Prentice said that local Highway patrol and police will be out in force again.

“We want to keep our fatality free period going,” he said.

Sergeant Prentice asked that drivers make sure they are sensible and safe on the roads and to make sure that cars are road worthy when on the road or travelling.

His strongest message was by far the call for people to wear seat belts.

“Ensure that everyone is buckled up, there’s no excuse for it.”

Keeping the number of people killed on Cootamundra LAC roads at zero isn’t the only thing that Sergeant Prentice would like to see, but a reduction in the number of tickets and fines issued to drivers over the Anzac weekend too.

“With the Anzac weekend Operation Go Slow we want to make sure we can reduce speeding tickets and other tickets,” Sergeant Prentice said.

His final message for drivers over the coming weekend? “Have a safe Anzac weekend.”