NSW POLICE have urged the community to be safer and more considerate on the road after a significant number of dangerous driving incidents were detected across the state during the Australia Day long weekend.

Operation Australia Day 2025 commenced on Friday (24 January 2025) and concluded 11.59pm on Monday (27 January).

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Double demerit points were in effect for the duration of the operation with police targeting drivers for speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone usage and seatbelt offences.

Police from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, with officers from Police Area Commands and Police Districts, were out in force patrolling roads across the state, focusing on dangerous and risky driving behaviour.

During the operation, police saw a concerning number of unsafe and reckless driving incidents.

About 4pm on Monday 27 January, officers from Raymond Terrace Highway Patrol allegedly detected a driver in a stolen station wagon travelling 102km/h in a signposted 80km/h zone on Nelson Bay Road, Bobs Farm.

The driver, a 23-year-old man, allegedly produced an expired licence.

During a search of the vehicle, police allegedly located and seized a 32cm knife.

He was taken to Nelson Bay Police Station where he was refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court.

Across the state Police issued 3742 speed infringements, conducted 114,750 breath tests with 259 people charged with drink-driving, 598 positive roadside drug detections, and attended 312 major crashes, resulting in 97 people injured.

Two people died on NSW roads, compared to four for the same period the previous year.

There were 355 mobile phone infringements, 186 restraint infringement and 6,180 other infringements issued to drivers.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman, said police will continue to target behaviour that endangers lives on NSW roads across the summer period.

“We are concerned with the number of drivers putting other road users, who are doing the right thing, at risk because of their dangerous driving,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Chapman said.

“We will continue to be highly visible across the state targeting and taking action against those who think they can ignore the road rules and can break the law.”