On Friday, July 11, 2025, officers from the Far South Highway Patrol detected a provisional driver speeding. Restricted to a speed limit of 90 km/h, the motorist was found travelling at 154 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, on the Monaro Highway in Billilingra, about 26 kilometres north of Cooma. To compound matters, the driver tested positive for prohibited drugs, with police awaiting further analysis. The incident resulted in the immediate suspension of the driver’s licence for six months and the issuance of multiple infringement notices.
PHOTO: The drivers licence was immediately suspended for six months CREDITS: Traffic and Highway Patrol Command
This incident comes just one week into the winter school holidays, a period already flagged by the NSW Police as particularly dangerous, with data showing that 20 percent of fatal or serious crashes occur during these breaks. A spokesperson for Monaro Police District said, “If you are driving to the snow, you will see highway patrol.”
Statewide, school holiday statistics are sobering, with data from previous years showing thousands of crashes and multiple fatalities. This year, 190 lives have been lost, 29 more deaths than for this time last year.
PHOTO: The driver was found doing 154km/h despite being restricted to 90km/h as a provisional driver.
Assistant Commissioner David Driver, Commander of the Traffic and Highway Patrol urged prior to the school holidays, “As always, don’t speed, wear a seatbelt, never drive when tired, do not use a mobile phone while driving, and never drive if affected by drugs or alcohol.”