The enforcement program began just after midnight on Friday and will conclude just before midnight on Sunday, with a 64-year-old woman charged with high-range PCA after she registered a blood alcohol reading of 0.170.

For Orange’s highway patrol officers, the weekend will mean six cars on the road targeting the Central West Police District’s outlying villages, as well as the Orange CBD. 

Acting Sergeant Adam Cornish said mobile random breath testing would also be in force.

He believed the rate of PCA offences had stabilised in the recent past, but people still failed to monitor how much they consumed against how much they had eaten.

“It’s not until 12 hours after they stop drinking that they should look at driving, especially the younger ones – lots of P-platers have a big night and come in with special range PCA,” he said.

“If you intend to drink, don’t drive.”

Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Julie Middlemiss said almost two generations of people had grown up with the dangers of drink driving and even one drink could put drivers at risk.

“The dangers are well documented, but police are astounded so many people still think it is okay to have one more for the road,” she said. 

During Operation Drink Drive last year, 427 people were charged with drink-driving statewide and 151,548 random breath tests were conducted.

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