Local media outlets gathered at the airport where Chief Inspector Trent Le-Morton, Northern Region traffic tactician for the Traffic & Highway Patrol Command, explained Operation Silverstone will involve them throwing all their resources, including aircraft, into driving down the road toll.

Standing in front of his arsenal, a PolAir helicopter and mix of marked and unmarked cars, he says it is a direct response to the growing number of fatalities that have occurred in the Hunter Valley.

This includes three double fatalities in the Singleton Local Government Area, which claimed the lives of five local teenagers.

Along with the two motorcyclists killed on the Putty Road this month.

Chief Inspector Le-Morton made it clear they are serious about keeping “drivers and riders alive on our local roads”.

And, that they have devised a coordinated strategy to address driver behaviour.

An important part of the plan is educating young drivers and using social media to get the message across.

But, make no mistake, they will be out on the roads, and in the air, forcing compliance from road users.

“Sadly 29 fatalities have been recorded on Hunter Roads in 2015 after a spate of multiple fatalities which is 13 more than 2014,” he said.

“The operation will involve a range of police resources including both marked and unmarked Highway Patrol cars, police motorcycles and aircraft for aerial surveillance, all focused on detecting those drivers and riders putting themselves and other road users at risk.”

He mentioned their efforts will be concentrated on notorious local trouble spots like the Golden Highway and Putty Road – the scenic, narrow and winding road that links Singleton to the north-western suburbs of Sydney. 

Chief Inspector Le-Merton says Putty Road is a recognised riding motorcycle riding route and that many speed-related motorcycle crashes happen in good conditions with no other vehicles involved.

“There seems to be an over-representation of mature-aged riders on powerful machines who are coming ‘unstuck’ on curves striking road side objects,” he says.

“Even experienced riders need time to react to changing situations on the road as we get older reaction times slow.

“Driving or riding too fast for the prevailing road conditions, even though you may be below the speed limit, can lead to tragic consequences.

“It takes three-quarters of a second to make a decision to act once you see a hazard, and the same time again for the action to be effective.

“At 60km per hour you will have travelled 25 metres in that second and a half before you even start to brake.

“Drivers and riders who are tired, distracted or impaired by alcohol or drugs can take longer to react.

“Driving or riding at a speed reduces the time you have to react to unexpected hazards and will increase your risk of a crash.”

In a message to all, he says all drivers have to be “situationally” aware of their surroundings and other road users.