South Australian police have summonsed a disqualified driver after stopping him while he operated a homemade vehicle in the town of Glossop. The device, constructed from the body of a child’s ride-on car and the motor of a mobility scooter, was detected by new shadow patrol cars deployed to improve regional road safety.
The Glossop Traffic Stop and Vehicle Construction
The unusual incident occurred this week in the Riverland region, where South Australia Police (SAPOL) were conducting a high-visibility operation from Tuesday to Thursday. Officers identified a homemade vehicle being driven on a public road in Glossop, which they later discovered was being operated by a disqualified driver who also returned a positive result for a drug test.
Superintendent Shane Johnson, the officer in charge of SAPOL’s Traffic Services Branch, spoke about the incident on ABC Radio’s SA Regional Drive show on Friday. He described the vehicle as a cross between a ride-on mower and a child’s toy, noting that it was emblazoned with a pink decal and black stickers. [Police] were quite alarmed at the time … [it] was driving on a road,
he said. “It’s got a real steering wheel, a single seat, [it] had a car battery slapped on the back. It looks like it’s been well used as well, but looks like the kind of thing that you’d build on a weekend with spare parts. I’m sure it’d be a bit of fun at a backyard barbecue, but definitely not one for the roads … It’s simply not safe.”
Shadow Patrols and Regional Enforcement
The arrest in Glossop resulted from the deployment of two of SAPOL’s new shadow patrol cars, which were deployed to the Riverland this week to deter dangerous driving. During the three-day operation, police allegedly detected 25 drug drivers, issued 52 traffic expiation notices, and defected 27 cars. Officers also issued 24 instant losses of licences and impounded two vehicles. In a separate incident during the same operation, a learner driver was clocked travelling at 127km/h. That driver also tested positive for cannabis and was issued an expiation notice for speeding along with a three-month instant loss of licence.
Broader Enforcement Trends
The focus on road safety extends to other jurisdictions as well. In New South Wales, a 39-year-old man is in a critical condition after crashing an e-bike into a pole while allegedly fleeing police in Sadleir. Officers had attempted to stop the man on Saturday at 11pm because he was riding without a helmet. Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden stated that officers followed the rider along several streets and were “very close” to the man when he collided with the pole. McFadden noted that the e-bike did not have pedals and was solely powered by its motor. The incident has been declared a critical incident, with an investigation overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
Meanwhile, in Western Australia, police have bolstered high-visibility patrols to target the “fatal five”: speeding, drugs and alcohol, seatbelts and helmets, mobile phone use, and fatigue. Acting Commander Mike Peters stated that WA Police are continuing the mantra of anywhere, anytime.
He added, The message is simple: don’t speed. Every police vehicle across the state will be undertaking some form of enforcement and our safety camera fleet will also be out in force.
This initiative includes a double-demerit period from December 20 to January 5.
Related reading