QUICK-thinking truck drivers and police have saved the life of a dog that fell off the back of a ute and was being dragged along the road in one of several incidents of bad behaviour during a weekend traffic blitz.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Passing truck drivers radioed the emergency to police in Moree about 5pm on Anzac Day, reporting a dog in distress on the Newell Highway near the bypass.
Police found the dog being dragged by a utility which was towing a laden horse float about three kilometres north of the bypass.
"Police stopped the vehicle and attended to the dog, which was suffering significant abrasions to its paws and hind legs but it was conscious," head of Western Region highway patrol Peter McMenamin told Fairfax Media.
The driver was issued an infringement notice for the offence but the dog survived its injuries.
The incident was one of several cases of illegal behaviour intercepted by police during Operation Go Slow - the high-visibility police blitz across the Anzac Day long weekend.
A red P-plater lost his licence on the spot and was stripped of 10 demerit points after he was nabbed by police travelling at more than 135km per hour near Moree.
About 1.45pm on Monday, officers were patrolling the Gwydir Highway about 25km east of Moree when the 23-year-old was detected more than 30km over the 100km zone limit.
He was also slapped with an $855 fine and was one of 32 drivers caught speeding in the Barwon area.
On Anzac Day, a 57-year-old man was stopped in Tenterfield just after 8am for a random breath test when he allegedly recorded a reading of 0.116 - more than double the legal limit.
He had his licence suspended on the spot and was charged with mid-range PCA.
On Monday night, a 15-year-old boy was allegedly caught driving in Armidale after police intercepted a vehicle on Brown St.
He allegedly recorded a positive roadside drug test for cannabis and was charged with driving while unlicensed, driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle and will front court at a later date.
Meanwhile on Sunday night, a 19-year-old allegedly recorded double the legal limit when he was stopped in Thomas St, Tamworth, before police checks revealed he was currently on a suspended learners' licence.
According to police, Oxley officers conducted 1975 breath tests, while New England stopped 1748 drivers for RBTs and Barwon 1773.
Oxley had the most amount of speeding drivers with 103 booked by police over four days, while New England had 77 caught.
New England officers booked six people for not click clacking front and back, and Barwon police fined three but Oxley recorded zero seatbelt infringements.
Another 123 motorists were booked for illegal behaviour.
"Speeding, restraints and fatigue are still the biggest killers on our roads,"
- Inspector McMenamin said
"Police want to see zero in the people charged from all our breath tests in the same way we would love to see zero in our seatbelt and speeding columns.
"There is no excuse for not wearing a seatbelt. Most modern cars have all the warnings, it should be second nature for everyone."
While police said overall behaviour was relatively good on the roads, they're not letting up, with the region's road toll still up on last year.
Barwon remains fatality free, while New England has recorded three fatalities this year, and Oxley is sitting at five deaths - four more than this time last year.
"Our main aim is to keep focused," Inspector McMenamin said.
"We are currently sitting at 25 deaths for the Western Region and this time last year we were 13."
Infringements issued by police during Operation Go Slow:
Oxley Police
Seatbelts - 0
Speeding - 103
Other - 61
RBTs - 1975
Barwon Police
Seatbelts - 3
Speed - 32
Other - 18
RBTs - 1773
New England Police
Seatbelts - 6
Speed - 77
Other - 44
RBTs - 1748