Man fined for lying next to fridge sticking out of car in Queensland
Quick Look
- A 46-year-old man in Queensland was fined $322 for riding in an unsafe part of a vehicle and $1,295 with four demerit points for not wearing a seatbelt after being found lying next to a fridge protruding from a car's rear.
- The 40-year-old female driver was fined $690 and received three demerit points for running a red arrow.
- Police also reported 3,680 breath tests in South Brisbane over two days, detecting 23 drink drivers, issuing 97 fines, making 53 arrests, and laying 68 charges, amid heightened holiday patrols and new stricter penalties for drug and drink driving effective December.
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Why It Matters
Queensland Police conducted traffic enforcement operations in Joyner and South Brisbane, focusing on vehicle safety and impaired driving during the school holiday period.
A man has been fined after being pulled over by police while lying next to a fridge sticking out the back of a car.
Queensland Police spotted the car in Joyner, north of Brisbane, with its rear door partially open, a fridge sticking out the back and a man next to it.
"Can you jump out?" an officer said in vision released by police. "We can see your feet."
The 46-year-old man was fined $322 for travelling in part of a vehicle not designed for passengers and $1,295 and four demerit points for failing to wear a seatbelt.
The driver of the vehicle, a 40-year-old Joyner woman, was fined $690 and three demerit points for going through a red arrow.
"She was also educated on the importance of and how to safely secure your loads," police said in a statement.
Police said in a statement officers were "on alert to ensure vehicle loads are secure".
"Precarious cargo has the potential be catastrophic for the carrier, passengers and other road users," police said.
Patrols on 'holiday haven'
In the South Brisbane District, police conducted 3,680 random breath tests in two days, resulting in the detection of 23 drink drivers.
Officers issued 97 fines, made 53 arrests, and laid 68 charges.
It comes after the state government passed laws last week for harsher penalties for drink and drug driving.
From December, under the new laws, offenders driving with a relevant drug in their saliva will face a fine of up to $4,835 and lose their licence for at least two months.
With school holidays underway, officers are conducting high-visibility patrols on Moreton Bay.
Inspector Mat Kelly said when drivers move off the ferry, officers are performing breath tests and ensuring vehicle access permits are valid.
"Police acknowledge that the island is a holiday haven for everyone to enjoy, but it is important for visitors to remember of the dangers associated with drink-driving and that road rules also apply on the beach," he said.
Open Questions
- What type of vehicle was involved in the fridge incident?
- Was the fridge being transported for personal or commercial use?
- Are the new drug-driving penalties already in effect as of the article's publication?