Drivers warned to take it easy on the roads in Leeton shire and further afield this festive season

There were 126 road crashes in the Leeton local government area between 2017 and 2021, and of those, four were fatal.

A total of 29 resulted in serious injury, 47 in moderate injury, 12 in minor or other injury, and 34 in non-casualty towaways.

The accidents occurred during a mix of times, including dawn, at night and during the day.

The types of accidents were also many and varied, including head-on collisions, single-vehicle, crashes on undivided roads and at T-junctions.

With Christmas just around the corner, Leeton shire motorists have been warned to take safety seriously whether driving around town or further afield.

Leeton Shire Council's road safety officer Steph Puntoriero said research showed being awake for 17 hours can have a similar effect on performance as having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05.

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"We're all eager to see loved ones at this time of year, but it's important not to speed and include plenty of rest breaks in your journey," she said.

December 20 is also the last gazetted school day and school zone speed limits will be enforced until 4pm.

NSW Police will be out in force over the Christmas and New Year holiday season, with double demerits applying from midnight on December 23 to midnight Monday, January 2.

Double demerits will be enforced for speeding, illegal use of a mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt or a motorcycle helmet.

"This December, please be sensible when you're behind the wheel or on a bike," Mrs Puntoriero said.

"Think and drive, survive and thrive this festive season and give the best gift of all to those you love by being there on Christmas Day."

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