Queensland Police launch early Christmas holiday blitz

Queensland motorists have been warned to expect more police on the road over the Christmas and New Year holiday period to clamp down on drink driving, which is linked to more than 20 per cent of road fatalities in the state.

Police say the state-wide road blitz has been brought forward a week to “target end-of-year celebrations in the lead-up to Christmas” and is scheduled to run until 25 January 2024.

The police operation will concentrate on drink and drug driving, speeding and distracted-driving offences as well as drivers and passengers not wearing their seatbelt.

“Too many lives have been lost on our roads as a direct result of someone selfishly making the wrong decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” Assistant Commissioner of Road Policing and Regional Support Command, Chris Stream said in a media statement.

“We have rolling police operations planned across the road networks where officers will be conducting random breath tests, drug tests, speed detection and general road enforcement … expect to see us anywhere, anytime.”

Police are urging drivers planning to drink during this festive period to consider alternative ways to get home.

The warning comes as the number of lives lost on Queensland roads so far this year sits at 251, according to police.

The maximum penalty for first-time drink-driving offenders in Queensland is up to 12 months of license disqualification, more than $4000 in fines and a jail term of up to nine months – but the penalties vary depending on the severity of the offence.

Unlike in New South Wales, double demerits do not only apply during holiday periods, but rather are said to impact certain drivers – who have committed specific driving offices in the past 12 months – all year round. For a full list of the double demerit rules, click here.