Here is a summary of the latest police and emergency services news on the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island.

Police target mobile phone use while driving

If you can’t get off your phone while driving then you might find yourself with an expiation notice far worse than your phone bill.

Operation Fatal Distraction began today, 4 May, with South Australia Police targeting drivers using mobile phones in an ongoing bid to reduce crashes caused by distracted drivers.

The statewide operation will focus on distraction-based offences in relation to mobile phone use, interacting with social media and any other behaviour, which may cause inattention.

Driving is a complex task and using a mobile phone for any reason while driving can significantly impair a driver’s reaction time, ability to maintain speed and ability to judge safe gaps in traffic.

In 2019 there were 46 lives lost in collisions where distraction was a contributing factor; 2020 has already seen 24 lives lost due to distraction.

“Now more than ever people are relying on their phones to connect with loved ones they cannot physically visit,” says Superintendent Bob Gray, Officer in Charge of the Traffic Services Branch.

“But your phone call, texts or video chats can wait when you’re behind the wheel. We know that using a mobile phone while driving increases the risk of crashing, so don’t gamble with your life.

"Even if you're just driving a short distance to the supermarket or doctors, there's no excuse for even just glancing at your phone.

“Drivers are aware of the laws and they are also aware of the risk of being distracted by apps when their eyes should be on the road.

“Crashes can happen in a split second – if your eyes are on your phone, you won’t see changes before it’s too late to take action.

“There's so much uncertainty going on in the world right now. But one thing that's certain is that causing a crash or taking a life because you picked up your phone is not the choice you want to make.”

Operation Fatal Distraction began at 12.01am on Monday 4 May and will end at 11.59pm on Friday 8 May.

Fatal crash at Mount Jagged (update)

Police are calling for information from the public after two men died in a crash at Mount Jagged.

Police and emergency services were called to the Victor Harbor Road just before 4pm on Saturday 2 May, after a white Toyota van and silver Ford utility collided head-on about 5km south of Mount Compass.

Two men travelling in the white van, the driver 28-year-old man from Novar Gardens and the passenger a 31-year-old man from Salisbury Downs, died at the scene.

Paramedics treated the driver and sole occupant of the Ford Ute, a 49-year-old woman from Hallett Cove, at the scene before she was airlifted to the Flinders Medical Centre. Her injuries are not considered life threatening.

The Victor Harbor Road was closed between Goolwa Road and Mosquito Hill Road for several hours while Major Crash Investigators examined the scene but has since been reopened.

Major Crash Investigators are seeking witnesses to the crash or anyone that saw either the silver Ford ute or the white Toyota van prior to the collision, to please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

There have now been 41 lives lost on SA roads, equal to the number lost at the same time last year.

Structure fire at Second Valley 

At 3.45am on 25 April CFS were alerted to a structure fire at Main South Road, Second Valley.

Seven CFS appliances and 35 CFS volunteers arrived on the scene to find the fire fully involved. The property was unoccupied and is believed to have been vacant for a number of years.

The property is a total loss with damages estimated around $150,000.

The cause of the fire is unknown and Fire Cause Investigators have attended the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

Traffic Report

Hills Fleurieu Police have urged people to drive safely as they have seen a rise in pedestrian and cycling activities across the state as people choose to be more active.  

Drivers need to be aware of the increase in pedestrians and bikes in places where they might not normally see them and at different times.

Around 3am on Saturday 2 May, Victor Harbor patrols attended a vehicle crash on White Crescent at Encounter Bay after a red Mitsubishi Magna collided with a stone wall.  

When police arrived on scene the driver had left the scene.  He was located a short time later in the rear year of an address on Gibson Street. The 20-year-old man from Encounter Bay was arrested and charged with driving without due care, drink driving (0.146), property damage and resisting arrest. 

His vehicle was impounded and he was issued with a six-month immediate loss of licence.  He was granted bail to appear in the Victor Harbor Magistrates Court on 3 August.

About 8pm on Wednesday 29 April, police stopped a 22-year-old Seddon woman on Telegraph Road, Kingscote.  She tested positive to methamphetamine and cannabis.  The sample was sent for forensic testing.

Just before 3pm on Thursday 30 April, police stopped a vehicle on South Terrace at Strathalbyn.  The driver, a 56-year-old Hayborough woman, recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.145.  She was reported for drink driving and issued with a six-month instant loss of licence.

At 8.20pm on Thursday 23 April, police observed the man doing a burnout in his car at Carrickalinga. Police stopped the car and the driver underwent a breath test, returning a positive reading. He then refused to follow police direction for a secondary breath analysis and walked away. 

The day after, on Friday 24 April Normanville Police reported a 26-year-old man from Carrickalinga for misuse of a motor vehicle and failing to follow reasonable direction. His car was defected and impounded for 28 days, and he will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

On Saturday 25 April, Victor Harbor patrols stopped a 50-year-old Northgate man while he was driving on Port Elliott Road, Hayborough. The driver underwent a breath test and returned a positive reading of 0.157 and was reported for exceeding the prescribed concentration of alcohol, his car was impounded for 28 days and he was issued a 12-month immediate loss of licence notice. He will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

At 1.30am on Sunday 26 April, a 40-year-old man from McLaren Vale, was stopped on Battunga Road, Meadows. He returned a positive drug swipe to methamphetamine, he was issued a 24-hour driver direction notice and may face further penalties once his sample has been forensically analysed.

At 5.30pm on Sunday 26 April, Kangaroo Island police conducted a drug swipe on a 55-year-old male driver who was at the police station for another matter. He returned a positive result to both methamphetamine and cannabis and was issued with a 24-hour driver direction notice, and may face further penalties once his sample has been forensically analysed.

Police will continue to target those road users who ignore the road rules by careless actions such as driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, speeding and risky behaviour.