OFFENDERS in the Oxley Police District still haven't got the message about safe driving.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Operation Chrome was enforced at the weekend where police targeted risky drivers and general crime.
Officers caught five people drink-driving and three driving under the influence of drugs, Peel Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Mick Buko said.
"We're top of the charts for this operation," he said.
"The results are always disappointing when you have people arrested for drink and drug-driving when you would rather see zero.
"However, we conducted close to almost 1000 breath tests and only detected six people drink-driving, so it sounds like the message is starting to get through."
In just two nights, 14 officers from both the Oxley and New England commands issued 104 infringement notices.
That's more than a third of all notices handed out in the entire western region.
New laws mean five people were slapped with an on the spot licence suspension for three months and a fine of $561, Sergeant Buko said.
"The days of having one drink every hour doesn't work," he said.
"So if you're going to drive, have a soft drink.
"Working with general duties police, we've got people off the street that shouldn't be driving who now have three months to think about what they've done."
Police in the Oxley district conducted 39 random drug tests at the weekend.
Operation Chrome helps give officers better knowledge base of crime hot spots in the area.
Read also:
With thousands of drivers headed to AgQuip in Gunnedah, police will be out in force, Sergeant Buko said.
"We'll be at AgQuip targeting entry points and the towns surrounding Gunnedah," he said.
"We're there in force, people see us everyday so I just hope they start thinking about the necessity of their licence and how important it is to do the right thing."