Drunk Hamilton man crashed into cars at Belmont North

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A man will face court after he allegedly crashed into a parked car at Belmont North while drunk last night before speeding off.

The 33-year-old Hamilton man reportedly crashed into the car on the Pacific Highway but took off when the owner confronted him going through a red light.

He was pulled over at Pelican where it's alleged he returned a high range blood alcohol reading.

Officers suspended his licence on the spot.

Double Demerits in action until Monday

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Police are urging drivers to slow down, stay safe and not to take risks on the Hunter's roads this long weekend, with double demerits in force until midnight on Monday.

Operation Stay Safe will see officers target speeding, seat belt, motorcycle helmet and phone use behind the wheel.

It's only June, but so far the death toll on NSW roads stands at 161.

Chief Inspector of Highway Patrol Phillip Brooks says the wet weather this week and heading into the weekend is making for particularly unfavourable conditions.

"We're urging all road users to please take extra care, we're expecting more traffic on our roads and with significant rainfall right throughout the NSW road network roads will be slippery - people approaching flooded causeways should pull over, wait for that flooded causeway to recede and continue safely on their journey."

Last year's June long weekend saw 131 people injured and four people lost their lives on the state's roads and police are determined that won't be the case come next week.

You may not think you're being watched on the weekend, but you certainly will be.

"We'll have all available 1,350 highway patrol staff and over 500 vehicles on our roads working very closely with general duty police performing speed enforcement, random breath testing and random drug testing all in an effort to drive down the road toll," said Chief Inspector Brooks.

Motorbike rider lucky to escape high speed crash

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man is lucky to escape a high speed crash on his motorbike at Kurri Kurri yesterday.

The man was clocked travelling at 160 kilometers an hour on the Hunter Expressway yesterday afternoon by Highway Patrol officers carrying out speed enforcement.

Officers tried to catch up to the bike in the 110 kilometre an hour speed zone, but were unable to do so.

A short time later they found him seriously injured crashing into a guardrail on Barton Street.

The 28-year-old was taken to John Hunter Hospital with multiple leg fractures.

He's yet to be interviewed by police.

Operation Tortoise all over after a bumper long weekend on Hunter roads

BY JESSICA ROUSE

If you were unlucky enough to be stuck in Easter long weekend traffic yesterday, you certainly weren't alone.

Traffic was crawling along the M1 motorway from Morisset all the way to Wyong for more than 25km, and closer to home in Heatherbrae, the Pacific Highway had its fair share of congestion.

All of the traffic eventually cleared at about 8:30pm last night.

Operation Tortoise wrapped up at midnight after four days of cracking down on speeding, drink-driving and a host of other common offences on Hunter's roads.

Across the region, police handed out over 400 speeding tickets, 1,200 Random Breath Tests (RBT) which found 27 people drink driving.

The state's road toll climbed to 11 over the long weekend, four this year have been on Hunter's roads and includes the 27-year-old man who lost his life in an accident at Brandy Hill last Thursday.

Senior police used the weekend to plead with drivers to slow down and be patient with heavy traffic throughout the state, but it didn't stop some people from putting their lives at risk.

A 19-year-old woman was caught on Newcastle Link Road driving at 143km/h in the 90km/h speed zone on a suspended Learners license on Sunday night.

She was charged with a number of offenses and will face Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 27th April 2017.

Woman Charged with Speeding and Drink Driving with Three Children in Car

BY GEORGIA LUPTON

A woman has been charged with mid-range Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol (PCA) and speeding after she was stopped in Cessnock on Friday.

The 32-year-old woman was pulled over by Traffic and Highway Patrol Command for allegedly travelling 135km/h in an 80km/h zone along Ellalong Road in Ellalong.

She was then breath tested where she allegedly returned a blood analysis reading of 0.097.

The woman had three children passengers in the car, two aged seven and one aged five .

Family and Community Services have reportedly been notified.

The woman was arrested before being taken to Cessnock Police Station.

She is due to face Cessnock Local Court on the 21st of December 2016.

Police out in force for Operation Saturation

BY JARROD MELMETH

Hunter Traffic and Highway patrol officers will commence a state-wide operation tomorrow to target road users putting themselves and others at risk.

Operation Saturation - part of Operation Towards Zero - begins tomorrow and concludes on 27 November 2016 and comes at a time when the states road toll has reached 342 deaths so far this year.

The high visibility crack down will be focusing on speeding, illegal mobile phone use, seatbelt and helmet compliance, driver fatigue and drink and drug driving, with officers engaging with road users to raise their awareness and educate them on the risks of irresponsible road use.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Acting Commander, Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy says the responsibility of reducing road trauma lies with every person using the road.

"Drivers, riders, cyclists, passengers and pedestrians all have to play a part in assisting us to bring this tragic and avoidable loss of life to an end." he said.

"We will ensure that anyone caught taking risks, or risking the lives of others, will be stopped and dealt with according to the law."

So far this year, 342 people have died on NSW roads, 32 more than the same time last year.

Photo source: NSW Police

Hunter drivers not slowing down

BY TYLER FARDELL

A driver who was caught speeding at 209km/h along the Hunter Expressway early Monday morning has had his license suspended and plates confiscated.

This latest incident tops off what has been a turbulent long weekend for police officers with Operation Slowdown leading to 4,619 traffic infringement notices for speeding, an increase of 641 issues over last year.

Traffic and highway control commander acting assistant commissioner David Driver said drivers willingness to exceed safe limits was troubling given speeding remains one of the biggest killers on our roads.

"To have one such driver travel at 209km/h on a public road is appalling and beyond comprehension".

"Driving is a privilege not a right and if you're caught risking your life or the lives of others, you will be stopped".