Highway Patrol officers want Tamworth drivers to help them combat drug-driving as ‘Operation Impairment’ arrives at the Tamworth Show this week.

Drug driving has emerged to become one of the ‘fatal five’ killers on NSW roads. Last year, new data released by the Centre for Road Safety revealed 11 per cent of road fatalities involved a driver or motorcyclist who had illicit drugs in their system.

The Operation Impairment road show, funded by the Centre for Road Safety, is based on the ‘Momentum’ display that travelled the state last year. It takes in 21 regional shows and events and makes its final stop at the Sydney 500 V8 Supercar race in December.

The roadshow will arrive at the Tamworth Show today (Wednesday 11 March 2015), and will be on display until Sunday (15 March 2015).

NSW Police Force Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, said drug-driving was not linked to just one area.

“What we have found is drug drivers are just as likely to be on the roads in country NSW as they are in metropolitan Sydney.

“Because drug drivers are just as likely to be on regional roads, this year’s road show Operation Impairment, is travelling to major events across NSW to educate communities about how dangerous drug-impaired driving is.

“We are pleased to partner with the Centre for Road Safety again this year and will travel to shows and community events highlighting the message – ‘Drug Driving; it’s a Crime.’

“Operation Impairment has something for everyone and I encourage everybody no matter what your interest, to come and see the display this year, which is both informative and interactive,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.

To further promote this year’s road safety message, police are using the hashtag #DrugDriving across social media.

Features at this year’s road show include:

• State-of-the-art high-visibility highway patrol cars, featuring all of the technology police have at their disposal to combat drug-impaired motorists;
• Road safety handouts and information
• Police and Centre for Road Safety show bags.

A P-plate driver was caught by police driving at 191 kilometres per hour in a 110 kilometres-per-hour zone, with two children in the car.

The 19-year-old man was speeding on the Hume Highway near Jugiong in the NSW Riverina area when he was pulled over by police.

Two children aged one and three were in the back seat of the car, while their mother was in the front passenger seat.

The driver from Cootamundra was charged with a range of speeding offences and his licence was suspended.

He is due to face Gundagai Local Court in May.

An 83-year-old Queensland man has died after being hit by a B-double truck on the Hume Highway near Yass, in southern New South Wales.

Police said at 10.45am (AEDT) officers were called to Manton Ridge, approximately 10 kilometres from Yass, after reports a truck had crashed into a pedestrian.

They said it was believed two vehicles travelling north were stopped in the northbound outer lane, and the man was standing in the lane talking to driver of the other vehicle when he was hit.

He died at the scene.

The driver of the truck and two other people at the scene were not injured, but were taken to Yass Base Hospital suffering shock.

Police said the truck driver also underwent mandatory blood and urine testing at the hospital.

Officers diverted northbound motorists onto the Barton Highway, just north of Canberra, for several hours.

The road is now clear.

Inquires are continuing after shots were fired into a vehicle at Gundagai last week.

About 12pm, Friday11 March 2015, Police were called to Mount Street in Gundagai following reports of shots being fired into a vehicle.

The owner told officers that the vehicle had been unattended for several days.

Police attended the location and found that numerous rounds had been fired into a parked vehicle.

A crime scene was established and examined by specialist forensic officers while detectives from Cootamundra Local Area Command conduct investigations.

Anyone who saw any suspicious or unusual activity in the area is urged to contact Tumut Police on (02) 69477130

A man and a woman have been charged after an aggravated car-jacking in Albury last weekend.

About 8pm (Sunday 8 March 2015), a 32-year-old man stopped his white Ford Falcon sedan on Borella Road, Albury.

Police have been told a man approached the car and entered the front passenger’s seat. He allegedly produced a shortened firearm and demanded to be driven to a number of premises in the Albury / Lavington area.

The driver was forced to drive to at least seven residential premises with the man during the course of the night.

About 11.45pm, the man left the driver in Crisp Street. The driver drove home and immediately contacted police.

Officers attached to Albury Local Area Command attended and commenced investigations.

Following inquiries, about 11.30am today (Wednesday 11 March 2015), police arrested a 24-year-old man on Crisp Street. At the time of his arrest he was in company with a 26-year-old woman.

Police searched the pair and allegedly located a shortened firearm and large knife in the possession of the woman.

Both were arrested and taken to Albury Police Station. The 24-year-old man was charged with five offences:

– Aggravated take/drive motor vehicle with person in it armed;

– Take/detain person with intent to obtain advantage;

– Aggravated assault with intent to rob and deprive person of liberty;

– Armed with intent to commit indictable offence;

– Possess shortened firearm (not pistol) without authority.

The man was refused bail, to appear before Albury Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 12 March 2015).

The 26-year-old woman was charged with four offences:

– Possess shortened firearm (not pistol) without authority;

– Not keep firearm safely – prohibited firearm;

– Possess unregistered firearm – prohibited firearm;

– Custody of knife in public place.

The woman was also refused bail to appear before Albury Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 12 March 2015).

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal truck and pedestrian crash in the state’s south this morning.

About 10.45am today (Wednesday 11 March 2015), police from The Hume Local Area Command and other emergency services were called to the Hume Highway at Manton Ridge, approximately 10km from Yass, following reports of a crash between a truck and a pedestrian.

It is believed two vehicles travelling north were stopped in the northbound nearside lane.

An 83-year-old man was standing within the lane speaking with the driver of the second vehicle when he was struck by a B-double truck also travelling north along the highway.

The man, from Queensland, died at the scene.

The driver of the B-double was not injured but suffered shock. He was conveyed to Yass Base Hospital for treatment and for mandatory blood and urine testing.

The people in the other two vehicles were also uninjured and were transported to Yass Base Hospital suffering shock.

A crime scene was established on the highway and the road was closed in both directions for some hours while examinations of the scene were conducted.

Investigations into the crash are continuing and police will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner.