LOCAL fire fighters and police officers have joined forces to urge drivers to be safe on the roads these holidays.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Nowra station officer Ian Walters, said firefighters responded to more than 11,000 road crashes on NSW roads in 2011 which resulted in 5230 injuries and 139 deaths.
Many of those accidents occurred over the summer holiday period.
NSW Police Force’s Traffic and Highway Patrol Operations Commander, Superintendent Stuart Smith, said speeding remained the biggest killer on NSW roads.
“I don’t know how many times we have to say it, stick to the speed limit,” Superintendent Smith said.
“Every year, hundreds of people die and thousands of people are horribly injured as a result of speeding on our roads.
“There is going to be a lot of traffic with plenty of families on holidays,” he said.
“The festive season is a time to be enjoyed with family and friends, not spent in the back of a police car or an ambulance.”