A Canberra truck driver is facing serious charges after police allege he was caught driving with a blood-alcohol concentration five times the legal limit on Christmas Eve morning.
Alleged Swerving Led to Traffic Stop
ACT road policing officers pulled over an Isuzu truck travelling south on the Monaro Highway in the suburb of Hume at approximately 7am on December 24. The stop was initiated after officers reportedly observed the vehicle swerving within its lane on multiple occasions.
According to a statement from an ACT Policing spokeswoman, the 39-year-old male driver told officers he had been attempting to switch seats with his passenger after driving through the night.
Extremely High Reading Alleged
The driver was subjected to a roadside breath test, which police allege returned a reading of 0.273. This is more than five times the legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers in the Australian Capital Territory.
As a result, the man's driver's licence was immediately suspended for 90 days. He has been charged with high-range drink driving and other related driving offences.
Court Date Set and Police Warning Issued
The accused driver is scheduled to appear before the ACT Magistrates Court in March 2026 to answer to the charges.
In light of the incident, ACT Policing issued a stern reminder to all motorists. "Driving impaired places every road user at serious risk and will not be tolerated," the police spokeswoman said.
The warning comes during a period of heightened penalties, with double demerits in effect over the Christmas holiday period. Police emphasised that a single poor decision can have lifelong consequences and urged the public to plan ahead, avoid drinking and driving, and help keep roads safe for everyone.
