Officers attached to Central West Police District handed out 83 speeding infringements during Easter Operation 2021, although the area's number were quite low considering more than 5,400 were issued across the state.

They dished out 32 infringements for other, general traffic offences along with reporting four mobile phones offences and four seatbelt or helmet offences too.

Across the region, six motorists were caught drink driving and another three drug driving offences were recorded as well, the former low considering the amount of tests that were carried out over the break.

"Officers carried about approximately 2,000 breath tests across the weekend to detect those offences, which obviously takes in the Orange region and extends out to Parkes and Forbes, that Lachlan area," Chief Inspector David Harvey, of Orange police, said.

That included roadside test on Orange's Anson Street on Friday afternoon, with police from Macquarie Highway Patrol intercepting a vehicle after receiving a tip a 45-year-old man who appeared affected by alcohol drove after leaving a licensed premises.

He failed that test, before being taken to Orange Police Station for breath analysis where he returned a reading of 0.228, almost five times the legal limit.

The man was charged with high-range drink-driving and was released on conditional bail. Police also confiscated the man's keys and suspended his licence until the court matter is finalised.

"Police were also patrolling roads throughout the Orange area, including the smaller towns and villages as well, as part of the operation.

"For the most part, we were quite happy with the behaviour of motorists in the area,"

"Even though we were pleased to an extent, it's still concerning to see the number of offences we did because we'd obviously prefer to see zero across the region."

One key aspect that was highlighted, considering the sheer amount of traffic on the road during one of police's first major blitz since COVID-19 restrictions lifted, was the lack of fatal accidents.

Across Central West Police District, there was zero.

"The fact there was no fatal accidents in the Central West is a positive, although there was still some accidents that caused injuries," he said.

"Motorists are still putting themselves and others at risk when they engage in those dangerous behaviours and do that kind of thing, and that's still a concern for police."

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