Stop it or cop it.
That's the message to drivers during the Christmas period to deter them from taking risks and encourage greater responsibility for their behaviour on the road.
The new campaign from the Sate Government comes as the state's largest high visibility road safety Police Operation: Safe Arrival gets underway. Safe Arrival started last night at midnight and will continue until 11:59pm on New Years Day.
In addition double demerits are also in place from next Friday (22nd December 2017) until Monday 1st January for all speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt and motorcycle-helmet offencers and officers will be out in large numbers during that period targeting all types of dangerous driving behavious.
Chief Inspector Gerard Lawson said the key thing over the Christmas period on the road is to be patient.
"We know you've got to get there, don't rush to get there and be patient with yourself and your own timings and also be patient with other road users. Occasionally people make mistakes, let's not let those mistakes be fatal."
"While everybody else is getting ready to go away, our highway patrol and general duties police aren't on holidays, they're staying at work just to make sure everyone is safe and there will be plenty of police on the road doing speed enforcement and alcohol enforcement and all of our regular activity at this time of the year," said Chief Inspector Lawson.
"But that shouldn't be the focus, you know it should be about doing the right thing and being patient with your neighbours and other road users so that everyone gets to where they need to go."
Minister for Police Troy Grant said motorists are continuing to take risks despite the number of fatalities this year and despite the number of police out on the roads.
"There will be more police tackling risky behaviour on our roads this Christmas as a part of Operation Safe Arrival and the message to motorists is clear - you're responsible for your own actions, you can either Stop it... Or cop it," said Troy Grant.
