South Australia Police is sounding the alarm after the state recorded a disturbing spike in reckless road behaviour in recent weeks, with multiple high-range drink and speeding drivers caught. Police are urging all road users to take responsibility before more lives are put at risk.
“We will maintain a strong and visible presence on our roads. Several operations are planned across both metropolitan and regional areas. We will continue to target drink driving, speeding, distraction, and other dangerous behaviours. But we need the community to stand with us,” said SA Police Superintendent Shane Johnson (pictured).
“This is a call to action. We urge every South Australian to speak up, to intervene, and to drive responsibly. If you see someone about to drive under the influence, stop them. If you’re tempted to speed, think of the lives at stake. If you’ve lost someone to road trauma, share their story.”
In the past week alone, SAPOL officers have intercepted 11 drink drivers, many with blood alcohol readings well into the high range:
- A 39-year-old man at Allenby Gardens recorded a staggering .356, more than seven times the legal limit.
- A 63-year-old man at Mount George blew .260.
- A 42-year-old man at Prospect recorded .218.
- A 40-year-old man in Whyalla was caught at .147, with a child in the car.
- A 24-year-old woman in Enfield was driving on three wheels after colliding with a traffic light, recording .116.
Police say these are not isolated incidents, but are “symptoms of a deeper problem – one that demands urgent attention”.
Speeding continues to be another deadly contributor. Among the most alarming recently, were:
- A 53-year-old man was caught doing 168km/h in a 110 zone at Lake Gillis.
- A 17-year-old boy in Salisbury was clocked at 95km/h in a 50 zone, then returned ten minutes later to do 82km/h in the same spot, resulting in $4,652 in fines and an instant loss of licence.
- A 21-year-old man in Hampstead Gardens was caught doing 106km/h in a 60 zone.
“These behaviours are not just illegal, they are lethal,” said Supt Johnson.
“So far in 2025, 54 lives have been lost on South Australian roads. In August alone, eight lives have been claimed, six in the past 10 days. Whilst the investigations into the recent fatals are still under investigation, and the cause of those crashes aren’t yet known, what we do know is the Fatal Five, dangerous road use, distraction, speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and drug or drink driving continue to be the leading causes of death in all fatal crashes.”
- Dangerous Road Users: 24%
- Distraction: 22%
- Speeding: 20%
- Seatbelts: 15%
- Drug Driving: 11%
- Drink Driving: 6%
