Plea for motorists to think of children as deaths mount
A tragic spate of road deaths during the long weekend and school holidays has police urging motorists to drive "as if your child is in the vehicle around you".
Five people have died in separate crashes in NSW since midday on Thursday, as the nation enjoys an Anzac Day long weekend and the end of school holidays.
Another woman was critically injured in an unrelated crash in NSW, while a pedestrian and motorist were killed in separate accidents in Perth - the only other road deaths over the same period in Australia.
Three people died in NSW during the Easter long weekend - 112 people have now lost their lives on NSW roads in 2025, five more than the same time last year.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Driver is urging motorists to be cautious, especially in regional areas as all five deaths occurred on rural roads.
"You should drive your cars as if your child is in the vehicle around you because every vehicle carries someone''s child," the traffic and highway patrol commander told reporters on Friday.
"In the last 24 hours, five people have lost their lives. Four of them in northern region, one in southern region."
Double demerits are in place for the long weekend, but Mr Driver conceded police could only do so much, stressing motorists must make smart decisions.
In the past week, 200 people were arrested for drink-driving and 900 tested positive for drugs.
"Please when you're driving your cars, concentrate on what you are doing. A lack of concentration can ruin many lives," Mr Driver said.
"Police have been very active to reduce the amount of road trauma, but police are just one stakeholder in road safety."
A police pursuit in western Sydney on Thursday ended with a car crashing into a pole.
The 33-year-old driver and a 35-year-old passenger were taken to Liverpool Hospital in critical condition.
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