A teenage driver has been charged and fined almost $1000 after being busted allegedly drink-driving with seven passengers in a ute on the Gold Coast.
Police say the 17-year-old p-plate driver was spotted driving recklessly and drifting between lanes near Discovery Drive, Helensvale at around 1.45am.
Once officers pulled the vehicle over, they found three unrestrained passengers sitting in the rear tray.
Roadside breath testing allegedly indicated a breath alcohol reading (BAC) of 0.022 per cent, exceeding the legal limit for a P1 licence holder.
In the bodycam footage, you can hear the responding officer say to the driver “Are you serious right now? Far out, this is ridiculous mate”.
The boy then tells officers he’d been to Surfers, had gone to “Maccas” and was on their way home, and that he’d had some drinks “a couple of hours ago”.
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State Highway Patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Beth Fletcher says the behaviour is incredibly dangerous, and could’ve ended in tragedy.
“It is disappointing for police to see a young driver allegedly get behind the wheel after drinking, then carry seven passengers in a vehicle not designed to transport them,” Acting Senior Sergeant Fletcher says.
“When you overload a vehicle and drive impaired, you’re removing every safety margin. If something goes wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic,
“Expect police anywhere, anytime. We will continue to target dangerous driving behaviour and hold those who put lives at risk accountable.”
The 17-year-old teenager has been charged with three counts of driving a motor vehicle while a passenger was not in a part of the vehicle designed for carrying passengers, one count of driving while over the no alcohol limit but not over the general alcohol limit as a holder of a P1 licence.
He was also issued three traffic infringement notices, totalling $966 for exceeding the registered seating capacity of a vehicle, driving a vehicle with a modified exhaust system that reduced, or was likely to reduce, its effectiveness, and driving as a P1 licence holder between 11pm and 5am with passengers who were not immediate family members.
He is due to appear in Southport Children’s Court on 14 September.
