A teenager from the Sunshine Coast has been caught driving 55km/h over the speed limit as part of a police operation in the Hervey Bay area.
The 19-year-old Coes Creek man was clocked driving a Mitsubishi Triton at 155km/h in a 100km/h zone in Cherwell on May 3.
He was issued with a traffic infringement notice for exceeding the speed limit by more than 40km/h, costing $1854 and eight demerit points.
Operation Xray Afrino, conducted from May 1-5, was established to ensure road safety during an annual motoring event in Hervey Bay.
Led by Highway Patrol Maryborough, police conducted 1679 random breath tests, with two positive results, and 142 random drug tests, with 29 positive results.
Police also issued 287 traffic infringement notices (TINs) for a range of offences.
Speeding was a particular concern, with multiple people detected allegedly driving 40km/h over the speed limit.
Among them was a 35-year-old Eli Waters woman who was detected at Dundowran allegedly driving a Kawasaki motorcycle at 112km/h in a 60km/h zone, with a child passenger on the back of the bike, on May 2.
Maryborough Highway Patrol officer-in-charge Sergeant Josh Churchward said there were serious consequences for dangerous behaviour on the roads.
“You could lose your licence or your vehicle, have to attend court or pay a significant amount of money in fines,” he said.
“But more importantly, you could lose your life, or end someone else’s.
“We talk about road safety a lot because we continue to see it not being taken seriously.
“Two of the high-speed TINs that were issued were to teenage P Platers – it is extremely dangerous for anyone to drive at those speeds, but even more so for those with limited driving experience.
“Police will continue to conduct operations like this one, in addition to the traffic enforcement and education action we take every day.”
