Roads across the state are expected to be busy from today as people move around to Anzac Day events or take Wednesday and Friday off to make the most of an extended long weekend.
The break also coincides with the end of school holidays, creating extra traffic around major centres like Sydney.
NSW Police will be out in force and double demerits apply from today until 11:59pm on Sunday 28 April.
The NSW Government is asking motorists to slow down and drive to the conditions so everyone can make it home safely.
As of midnight Tuesday, 111 lives have been lost on NSW roads in 2024 – 11 higher than at the same time in 2023.
The NSW Government has introduced a number of measures to counter the rising number of fatalities on our roads, including:
- doubling roadside enforcement sites used for mobile speed cameras, with the addition of 2700 new locations where a camera can be deployed. Enforcement hours will remain the same
- removing a loophole to force all motorists driving on a foreign licence to convert to a NSW licence within 6 months
- the introduction of seatbelt enforcement by existing mobile phone detection cameras from Monday 1 July
- the demerit point trial to encourage motorists to maintain a spotless record over 12 months to have a demerit point removed from their record
- hosting the state’s first Road Safety Forum of international and local experts.
Acting Minister for Roads Jo Haylen said:
“Road safety is a shared responsibility, and we are asking everyone to have that front of mind over the Anzac Day period.
“There are simple steps to help keep all road users safe: Make sure you are well rested before heading out, stick to the speed limit, wear a seatbelt or helmet, put the phone away and never get behind the wheel if affected by drugs or alcohol.”
Minister for Police Yasmin Catley said:
“Police will be out on the roads across the state in a high-visibility operation that will target high-risk behaviours such as excessive speed, alcohol and drug driving, illegal use of mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts.
“During the double demerit period for Anzac Day last year, which also fell over 5 days, we tragically lost 4 people on NSW roads. That is 4 too many and I don’t want to see a repeat of this again in 2024.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:
“Regional NSW represents a third of the state’s population and two-thirds of the state’s road fatalities. For this reason, it is even more important that motorists in regional areas comply with the speed limit and drive to the conditions.
“If you’re a local please don’t be complacent – even if you drive these roads every day and think you know them like the back of your hand – mistakes can happen, and tragedy can result.
“Make sure you’re sticking to the speed limit, and if you start to notice signs of fatigue, pull over and have a rest. It’s better to arrive late than to risk the alternative of a serious crash or worse.”