An unlicensed drivers plan to evade police by switching seats with her passenger at Cessnock was foiled by Highway Patrol over the long weekend.
Cessnock Highway Patrol were conducting stationary breath testing on Hart Road at Loxford at about 5:45pm on Monday when they noticed a red Holden Commodore stop prior to the testing site.
The driver was seen moving into the front passenger seat, and the passenger was seen getting out of the car and moving into the drivers seat.
Officers approached the car and identified that the driver was a 23-year-old female from Cessnock who had been stopped three weeks ago driving the same car. Checks revealed her New South Wales Provisional 1 licence had expired in 2020.
She was subjected to a drug test as well which returned a positive reading. A secondary test showed positive to methylamphetamine and cannabis.
The female was taken to Cessnock Police Station where she was charged and given bail to appear at Cessnock Local Court at a later date.
Police say further action will be taken when laboratory results come back from an oral fluid test.