BRISBANE police detected 57 people allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in a single week as officers ramped up road enforcement across the city.
Proactive patrols and static enforcement sites carried out 9567 roadside breath tests and 159 roadside drug tests, detecting 34 drivers allegedly affected by alcohol and 23 allegedly affected by drugs.
Police also issued 1330 traffic infringement notices for offences including speeding, driving uninsured and driving unregistered.
South Brisbane District Acting Superintendent Jon Kent said 77 people were charged with 142 offences during the week’s operation.
“Throughout our proactive road safety actions last week alone, local police charged 77 people with 142 offences,” Acting Superintendent Kent said.
“That is 77 people too many who have been committing offences on our local roads.
“South Brisbane’s Districts commitment to safer roads is not a one-week mission, it is a daily commitment.
“Motorists should expect to continue seeing police out on roads targeting traffic offences anywhere and at any time.”
One of the week’s more serious incidents unfolded on August 19 when Upper Mount Gravatt officers allegedly spotted a Mercedes- Benz sedan without registration plates travelling along Mains Rd at Sunnybank.
Police attempted to intercept the vehicle, but it is alleged the driver made an illegal U-turn through a red light and sped away.
Officers saturated the area and found the vehicle abandoned at Robertson shortly afterwards.
Police will allege the 21-year-old Spring Hill man who had been driving the sedan fled by ordering a rideshare vehicle.
Following rapid investigations, officers intercepted the rideshare on the Pacific Motorway and arrested the man without further incident.
It will be further alleged he was carrying cocaine and methylamphetamine at the time of his arrest.
The man has been charged with two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and single counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, evasion offence in company, driving without a licence, driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, and possessing drug utensils.
He is due to appear in Holland Park Magistrates Court on September 28. North Brisbane District Acting Superintendent Matthew Blunn said police remained concerned by drivers who ignored basic road safety requirements.
“If you commit any offences that put the lives of yourself or other road users at risk – expect police to take strong enforcement action against you,” he said
