Double demerits will be in force for speeding, drink and drug-driving, mobile phone use, and not wearing seatbelts from 12.01am Thursday through to 11.59pm on Monday.

Hunter Highway Patrol cluster supervisor Senior Sergeant Tony Grace said cars from Sydney Metropolitan command will be deployed to the region to target these offences.

He said high visibility police will patrol major Hunter highways, but also the regularly-used back roads to Cessnock and Kurri Kurri.

Sergeant Grace said Putty Road will also be monitored due to its established crash history.

Being the middle of the school holidays, Sergeant Grace said he expected major traffic congestion in some areas especially Hexham.

Ultimately the message is for people to slow down Sergeant Grace said, which has been highlighted by the name of the double-demerits blitz – Operation Tortoise.

Sergeant Grace said slowing down can reduce the severity of incidents and potentially avoid a crash being fatal.

He also urged drivers to concentrate on driving and not get distracted.

Sergeant Grace said many of the fatal accidents in the Hunter this year were the result of small mistakes.

“It’s not people doing outrageous things,” he said. 

The NSW government has announced that in addition to targeted police enforcement, people can expect to see more education and awareness campaigns in high-risk locations over the Easter break.

People planning to travel long distances or to an unfamiliar location are encouraged to download the free Emergency+ App.

The app displays the GPS coordinates of the phone’s location for the caller to relay to a Triple Zero (000) call taker.