Hills Fleurieu police have been busy on the roads over the weekend, with several drivers caught under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

About 4.30pm on Friday 13 September, police stopped a car on the Playford Highway at Menzies, after checks revealed the driver’s licence was suspended. A 38-year-old man from Parndana was reported for this offence and will appear in court at a later date.

About 12.12pm on Saturday 14 September on Todd Street, Kingscote, police stopped a 44-year-old man from Kingscote, and he underwent a drug test. The man returned a positive sample and depending on forensic analysis results he will be reported at a later date.

About 5.20pm on Saturday, 14 September on Strathalbyn Road at Flaxley, police stopped a car for a random driver test. A 28-year-old man from Greenwith returned a positive reading of 0.051. He was issued an expiation notice.

Just before 4pm on Saturday,14 September on Frenchmans Terrace, Penneshaw, police stopped a 47-year-old man from Palmer. The man tested positive to methamphetamine and depending on forensic analysis results he will be reported at a later date. He was issued a driver direction notice not to drive for 24 hours.

About 9.50pm on Saturday 14 September on Port Elliot Road at Hayborough, police saw a vehicle doing a burnout. The driver, a 43-year-old man from Victor Harbor was reported by police for misuse of a motor vehicle. His vehicle was impounded for 28 days and he will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

About 10.13am on Sunday 15 September on Frenchmans Terrace, Penneshaw, a 49-year-old man from Penneshaw was stopped by police in a random driver test. The man recorded a breath test of 0.99 and was issued a six-month immediate loss of licence notice and was reported for exceeding the prescribed concentration of alcohol. He was also reported for failing to wear a seatbelt, and will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

Seat belt blitz

South Australia Police caught almost one person an hour failing to belt-up during a three-day blitz earlier this month.

Operation Belt Up, which targeted drivers and their passengers who failed to wear a seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened, began on Monday, 9 September and ended at midnight on Wednesday 12 September.

Despite warning the public of the targeted campaign, 122 motorists across metropolitan and regional areas were detected not wearing their seatbelt.

Superintendent Robert Gray, the officer in charge of the Traffic Support Branch, said the operation results are concerning.

“We know that failure to wear a seatbelt is one of the leading causes of death and serious injury in motor vehicle collisions,” he said.

“Passengers are ten times more likely to be killed in a crash if they’re not wearing a seatbelt, and yet people are still failing to belt up.

“The road toll is currently at 80, and we need the help of the community if we’re going to change this.

“Not wearing a seatbelt as a driver or a passenger puts your life at risk; it’s a simple as that.”

Motorists are reminded that although the specific operational blitz has finished, all police continue to monitor drivers in relation to the fatal five factors directly linked to fatalities and serious injury crashes: speed, distraction, seatbelt use, dangerous drivers and drink and drug driving.