Hundreds of motorists were pulled over and breath-tested in a three-day traffic blitz in Tennant Creek last week.

Police and Motor Vehicle Registry Inspectors joined forces from Thursday to Saturday to conduct a special operation targeting road safety.
During the operation cars were pulled over at random and at roadside breath testing stations throughout the township. Of the 233 drivers breath tested only three returned a positive reading.

"But that's still three too many," Superintendent Megan Rowe said.

"The blitz did, however, serve as a high-profile reminder to most drivers to ensure they thought twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking."

As well as the three arrests for drink driving, police issued six defect notices to the drivers of unroadworthy cars, and issued a further 34 cautions for roadworthy matters. Four traffic infringement notices were also issued for matters ranging from driving unregistered and uninsured vehicles to driving with an unrestrained child in the vehicle.

"This was an intensive targeted operation conducted by police with the support of MVR officers as a road safety exercise and the results were extremely satisfying from a deterrence point of view," Supt Rowe said.

"Police and MVR officers inspected licences and vehicles and as a result a number of defective cars were put off the road. Two truck drivers will also be going to court for traffic breaches. One was found to be driving a truck towing two trailers when he was only permitted to tow one, and the other will face court for excess weight.

"We will continue to conduct these sorts of operations on a regular basis so drivers should be put on notice that they will be caught if they choose to drink and drive or breach any other traffic regulations."


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