"Talk to your mates," he advised passengers during a visit to the city yesterday.

"Tell them you're not prepared to be in a car if they are speeding. Tell them you're not prepared to be in the car if they are drunk.

"The best safety device is a driver - let them know they have to slow down," he said.

Speaking in the lead-up to the Christmas holidays and schoolies week, Mr Scipione also reminded drivers to take regular rest breaks.

"Parents need to talk to their children and let them know not to drive in a way that puts them or their mates at risk," he said.

"The one experience you don't want to have is living with the death of a friend on your hands or ... killing an innocent stranger who happened to be there when you did the wrong thing."

Last year's record low road toll of 388 has already been exceeded, with seven weeks of 2009 remaining.

"There has been a frightening increase in the number of motorcyclists and pedestrians killed this year.

"They account for 33 per cent of fatalities," he said. "While people who head out for a drink may wisely choose not to drive, when you are walking home you are still vulnerable.

"Over the past three years, there have been 12 pedestrians who ... were killed whilst walking along roads in the Illawarra.

"Fifty per cent of those were alcohol related."

Mr Scipione also warned older drivers to take care.

"If you are a male, aged 46 to 55 and you ride a motorbike, you are at risk.

"And you are most at risk on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Sixty-four per cent of fatal motorbike crashes happen on those days," the Police Commissioner said.