Fifteen Traffic and Highway Patrol Command officers conducted a 48-hour blitz on heavy vehicles at the M1 Mount White checking station.
A total of 256 heavy vehicles were stopped as part of Operation Convoy from 5am on Tuesday, September 5, targeting heavy vehicle load and fatigue compliance as well as alcohol and drug testing.
During the 48-hour operation Northern Sydney Sector Traffic and Highway Patrol officers discovered two drivers who tested positive in oral drugs test; 108 penalty notices were issued; 33 cautions were issued; 46 defect notices were issued; 24 fatigue related offences were detected (exceed driving hours); three work diaries were seized, to be subjected to further investigation of fatigue breaches and falsified entries; and 14 charges were laid for serious or critical fatigue breaches.
One driver was detected having driven for 37 hours in a 48-hour period and Police issued the driver a notice directing him to rest for 24 hrs.
As he drove his vehicle from the inspection area to a parking bay he drove over a concrete island, rupturing a fuel tank, causing a large diesel spill requiring HAZMAT clean-up.
The driver was issued a Court Attendance Notice for a critical fatigue breach.
Another driver was detected for serious fatigues breaches, 24 hours after having been grounded by South Australia authorities for fatigue breaches in that state.
Source:
Traffic & Highway Patrol