Orange has made the cut for another top 10 list – however this list is nothing to be proud of.
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The city has been ranked ninth by NSW Police for drink driving after 81 people were found breaking the law while behind the wheel.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Command has compiled the top 10 areas for drink and drug driving after 25,000 drivers were caught.
Between July 2016 and June 2017, there were 17,000 drink driving charges across NSW, a decline on the previous year of 1562.
Meanwhile, 8000 people were charged with drug driving, 1406 fewer than last year.
Canobolas Local Area Command’s crime manager Detective Inspector Bruce Grassick said officers were proactively tasked to work with highway patrol.
“We make no secret of the fact that drivers impaired by alcohol and drugs will be stopped and prosecuted for these offences,” Inspector Grassick said.
“The command is working hard to reduce road trauma and detecting drivers that may be impaired by alcohol or drugs will continue to be our focus.
“The command will continue to actively target drink and drug driving in order to reduce road trauma across the command with a view of working towards zero fatalities.”
Traffic and Highway Patrol Command’s Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said the reduction in charges showed some drivers were “getting the message”.
"A decline in drink and drug-driving, shows that the message is starting to get across, and that the community will not tolerate those who put themselves and others at risk,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.
“However, it is still alarming to see that there were more than 17,000 drink-drivers, and more than 8,000 drug-drivers on our roads in the last financial year.
“Every one of those drivers or riders have shown a complete lack of regard for not only their own life, but the lives of all others using the road.”
Orange was joined in the top 10 lists by Dubbo, Mudgee and Young.
There were 155 drink drivers found in Dubbo, ranking it third in the state, while there 87 charges for drug driving in Mudgee and 77 in Young.
Byron Bay had the highest in NSW with 205 drink drivers while Armidale topped the state for drug driving charges with 174.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
