Move FM Regional news

BATHURST, Central West, NSW, Australia – Rural road trauma is the focus of a major police operation launching this weekend across the state, including the Blue Mountains and Central West.

Operation Chrome will be in place throughout the region from Friday through to Sunday.

Officers from each Police District will work alongside Traffic and Highway Patrol officers, providing a coordinated effort to reducing rural road trauma throughout the region.

Drivers and riders should expect to see more police on rural roads and highways across the entire region over the coming days, targeting risky driver behaviours.

Western Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Geoff McKechnie APM, was in Bathurst for the launch of the operation which focuses on improving driver behaviour through enforcement and education.

“The Western Region road toll is up from the same time last year, many caused by speed, fatigue, people not wearing seatbelts, alcohol and drug impaired driving,” he said.

“Messages that time and time again we reiterate through the media to our communities trying to keep people safe, but in some cases these things go unheeded. So, this weekend every police officer who is working in the region – whether general duties, specialist, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command staff – will be out there on our roads focusing on road safety.

“We will be in places that people don’t expect us to be. We have a great capability to be on dirt roads, we’re going to be in small towns, we’re going to be on highways, on the back roads, day and night, targeting poor driver behaviour, and we make no apologies for that.

“We are about saving lives and making a difference to the communities we live and work in here in Western NSW.”