Several drivers across the country were observed speeding dangerously on roads, as South Australia has recorded the highest traffic violations in the state in more than a decade.
A Victorian driver on probation will be left without his car after police recorded the novice driver was driving more than twice the legal limit. Victoria Police allege the Volkswagen Golf was detected traveling at 240km/h at a posted 100km/h mark along the Western Highway, a 258km motorway connecting Melbourne and Adelaide. Authorities say the 23-year-old driver evaded police at 8.40pm, and officers intercepted the vehicle half an hour later in Nhill, a town approximately 373km northwest of Melbourne. The alleged offender has been charged with multiple offenses relating to two counts of speeding, failing to follow police directions, driving at dangerous speeds, reckless conduct endangering life, as well as failing to comply with license conditions. Victoria Police said the young driver had his car confiscated for 30 days, costing him $1,675.
In a separate incident, two New South Wales drivers were recorded speeding one night in Camden, a city approximately 65 kilometers southwest of Sydney. Police spotted a 23-year-old driver in a Mazda 3 allegedly driving at 132km/h on the Camden Bypass, which has a legal limit of 80km/h. NSW Police say the alleged offender recently worked on the vehicle and “gave it a bit to test it out”, and the speeding driver lost his license for six months. Later that night, NSW Highway Patrol officers recorded a Subaru Liberty traveling at 126km/h through the 80km/h sign on Camden Valley Way. The alleged violator, 38, received an infringement notice and a three-month suspension of his license.
In South Australia, data obtained by the Royal Automotive Association (RAA) showed that South Australian Police issued a total of 202,358 speeding tickets in 2023, an increase of 3458 on 2022 and the highest number on record of road violations since 2020. In 2023, police identified a total of 46,307 speeding offenses in South Australia, the highest number recorded since 2013. In addition, mobile cameras imposed 96,438 fines and fixed cameras recorded 59,613 violations. Since 2019, the RAA said South Australian police have issued more than one million speeding violations worth about $417 million. “Inappropriate speed remains a major contributing factor to serious and fatal accidents,” Matt Vertudaches, RAA senior traffic engineer, said in a news release. This news comes: New South Wales had the largest increase in road deaths in February 2024, with 39.7 percent (from 267 in 2023 to 373 in 2024), followed by South Australia with 30.1 percent percent (83 to 108) and Victoria with 11.9 percent (252). at 283) – for Drive reports.
Ethan Cardinal graduated in 2020 with a degree in Journalism from La Trobe University and has worked in the fashion industry as a freelance writer before joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys researching and reporting on the intersections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan enjoys the opportunity to explore how deeply cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could impact both casual readers and car enthusiasts alike.
