FED: National holiday road toll 17

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-1999
FED: National holiday road toll 17

SYDNEY, April 3 AAP - The nation's Easter road toll remained at 17 today, with no further
fatalities reported after a horrific start to the holiday period.

The toll yesterday exceeded the 15 for the entire five-day Easter holiday last year.

The disturbing number of deaths prompted police to repeat warnings for drivers to slow down
and take more care on slippery roads, especially in New South Wales.

Twelve of the deaths were in NSW, where packed holiday roads combined with torrential rain
in the first two days of the break.

There have been two deaths each in Victoria and South Australia, and one in Western
Australia.

Queensland, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory remain fatality-free, but almost
5,000 motorists have been booked for traffic offences in Queensland during Easter.

(Eds: AAP's Easter road toll figures are for the period 0001 Thursday April 1 to 2359
Monday April 5. Some states and territories have different toll periods).

AAP msk/lm/ms

KEYWORD: TOLL NATIONAL (CARRIED EARLIER)

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