Port Stephens Hunter Police District utilise 40 years of RBT to send out message, helping prevent fatalities this festive season

The operation comes in line with the 40^th anniversary of RBT in New South Wales, which came into effect on December 17, 1982.

Prior to random breath testing, the state's annual road toll often sat around 1,200 fatalities and that's when authorities recognised there was a need for change.

"At the time our road tolls were very high and there was no law available for police to just stop a driver and test them for alcohol," Chief Inspector and Duty Officer for Port Stephens Hunter Police District, Dan Skelly, said.

New South Wales became one of the first jurisdictions in the world and the first in Australia, to introduce random breath testing. In its first five years of introduction, road fatalities fell from 1,303 in 1980 to 1,067 in 1985.

Inspector Skelly said alcohol was recognised as being one of the major contributors to deaths on the roads and with Christmas around the corner, there was an important message he wanted to send.

"Make sure you've got a Plan B. We acknowledge that there's Christmas parties this time of year and people drink alcohol and that's fine, just don't drink and drive," he said.

"We encourage people, but if it takes scaring people to send the message, then we'll have to scare people."

He said the mission of police over the festive season was to detect drivers "that are irresponsible enough" to drive with a high amount of alcohol in their system and put others in danger.

"We want everyone to enjoy themselves but we also want everyone to travel from A to B and get to point B alive," he said.

Inspector Skelly said police would be ramping up their patrols and he reminded motorists double demerits come into force at midnight on December 23 and will run through to midnight on January 3.

Double demerit points will run for 11 days and there will be points for specific offences including speeding, drink driving, drug driving, no seat belts, no helmets and use of mobile phones.

"We'll be out in force and we want everyone to enjoy the festive season, we want everyone to be safe," Inspector Skelly said.

"That's what we're about, we're about helping that to occur by detecting drivers that are irresponsible and drive - we're about road safety and keeping people alive."

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said drink driving remains a serious issue in western NSW with 34 fatal crashes involving alcohol in the last three years and another 79 resulting in serious injuries.

"No one wants to lose a loved one this Christmas period which is why I am telling people to think about others on the road and not do something stupid like drinking and driving," he said.

He said a death in a town extends beyond the immediate family to the local cop who attends the scene to the community who sees one less familiar face around.

"These are the impacts that I want drivers on our regional roads to think about the next time they get behind the wheel and why I urge all drivers to have a Plan B."

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