Six fatal crashes have resulted in seven deaths so far this year throughout the Mudgee Local Area Command.

Mudgee LAC superintendent Tony Joice said “local police are working very closely with officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command to enforce road safety however motorists also have a responsibility to give and take while using local roads”.

He urged drivers to give themselves enough time to reach their destination; show all road users the same respect that you expect; give their keys to someone else if you are drinking or using illegal drugs; take breaks and be aware of road conditions. 

Last week, a strikeforce from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command visited Mudgee, resulting in 12 out of 66 positive drug tests, 700 breath tests, 11 speed infringement notices and 17 traffic infringement notices.

Superintendent Bob Ryan from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said with 233 fatalities so far this year on NSW roads (38 more lives lost than this time last year), it is obvious that more needs to be done to ensure road safety.

“There is no doubt that the 46 road deaths so far this year across Western NSW would have a significant impact in those affected communities,” Superintendent Ryan said. 

“The cost of trauma on our roads impacts not only on the person injured or killed, but also on friends, families, witnesses and all emergency services”.

Last year there were 348 deaths on NSW roads, 41 more than the previous year, making it the state’s worst road toll in three years. 

Earlier this year Roads Minister Duncan Gay urged everyone to make road safety a top priority.