Category Archives: Safety

Drugs and driving – are our laws tough enough?

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This week, British pop star George Michael was sentenced to eight weeks in jail after he admitted to driving under the influence of cannabis when he crashed his car into a shop in North London. He also received a five-year driving ban and a fine of $2000.

Currently in NSW the penalty for driving with the presence of active THC (Cannabis) in oral fluid, blood or urine is the following:

Penalties First Offence Second or subsequent offence
Maximum court- imposed fine $1,100 $2,200
Disqualification – minimum 3 months 6 months
-maximum 6 months Unlimited
-automatic* 6 months 12 months

* ‘automatic’ is the disqualification period that applies in the absence of a specific court order.

Source: RTA – penalties accessed 15/09/2010

The NSW Police Force now has five* roadside drug testing vehicles and has just recently spent $150,000 on a new Random Breath Testing truck for use across the Southern Region of NSW.

*As of September 2011, there are only 3 roadside drug testing vehicles.

Should more be done to curb driving under the influence of drugs or does the NSW government have the balance right?

Why do Sydney drivers have such a bad attitude towards cyclists?

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Sydney has been called one of the most hostile cities for cycling.  Many motorists continue to be frustrated sharing the road with cyclists. But according to Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore in her address to the NSW Parliament in June 2010, increasing the number of cyclists on our roads could actually decrease traffic congestion.

“The 1 per cent of inner-Sydney trips already taken by bicycle result in 25,000 fewer car trips every day.  If people commute by bike for shorter distances they provide more capacity on the already overcrowded public transport services and speed up journeys for people who have to drive,” she said.

So if cyclists are helping to ease the congestion for motorists and improve the trip for commuters, what is it that motorists find so frustrating?  Have cyclists made you late for work, or caused a distraction?

Many motorists who are also cyclists argue that riding their bikes on the road have made them better car drivers.  Some cyclists have suggested that experiencing a cycling journey through Sydney’s traffic should be a compulsory part of getting a drivers licence.

What has been your experience with sharing the road with cyclists?  Do you have any tips for safely sharing the road with them?  Would you be happier if cyclists had their own lanes?

Safety at the pedestrian crossing

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Due to the recent poor weather, we’ve seen an increase in the number of near misses at pedestrian crossings, with pedestrians rushing to get across the road when raining and poor visibility for vehicles.

Of course, anybody who has been on the road recently will have noticed this being a regular occurrence at pedestrian, or ‘zebra’, crossings everywhere, irrespective of the weather. Nor are near misses always the result of a pedestrian rushing across the road without looking or because a car has failed to slow down.

Rule 81 of Road Rules 2008 states: A driver approaching a pedestrian crossing must drive at a speed at which the driver can, if necessary, stop safely before the crossing. Part 2 of this rule is that a driver must give way to any pedestrian on a pedestrian crossing.

Rule 81 also states that a crossing is an area of the road with white stripes on the surface and marked with a pedestrian crossing sign. All extra signage and road-markings at pedestrian crossings are safety features not required by law.

Should the onus be on drivers to take more care at zebra crossings or should pedestrians be more vigilant? Does more need to be done to indicate to motorists that there is a crossing ahead?

Using snow chains in NSW Alpine Regions

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As winter approaches and holiday-makers begin to make their way to the state’s Alpine Regions, it is important to know the rules for driving in ‘snow and ice’ risk sections.

The RTA recommends the use of snow chains when driving in snowy conditions. They have also identified dangerous sections of road in Alpine Regions with yellow lane line markings and signposting.

National Park regulations state that all vehicles must carry chains if driving through a National Park’s designated ‘snow and ice’ risk sections.

Note that 4WDs are exempt from this regulation (’4WD’ includes SUVs and vehicles with all-wheel drive).

The current designated National Park ‘snow and ice’ risk sections are:

  • Alpine Way - Thredbo to Tom Grogin
  • Kosciuszko Road within the National Park boundary
  • Guthega Road within the National Park boundary

If directed by signs or an authorised officer, chains must be fitted to the vehicle’s driving wheels. This should be done at chain fitting bays located along the route.

The RTA advises that it will carry out random chain inspections along these sections of road during the ski season. Fines of over $300 will be issued to drivers who fail to comply with National Park regulations.

Of course, snow chains must not be relied upon to guarantee safety when driving in snowy conditions. Sensible driving practices appropriate for the conditions must be used.

Visit Stay safe on the road this season for driving tips and information.

Have you had difficulty driving in the snow? Should snow chains be mandatory in snowy conditions?

Safety cameras – Combining red-light and speed cameras

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Over the next four years, the RTA is replacing existing red-light cameras with safety cameras at 200 locations across NSW.

In December 2009, the RTA began to combine red-light cameras with fixed speed cameras at 50 locations across the state. The safety camera is capable of detecting speeding vehicles, vehicles running red lights, or both.

No new ‘combined’ offences have been created. Drivers will face a penalty notice and associated demerit points for each offence committed.

Safety cameras are being introduced to make intersections safer and reduce the number of crashes at traffic lights.

According to the RTA, “Evaluations of camera enforcement of red-light offences conducted in Australia and overseas have shown this type of enforcement is clearly effective in reducing casualty crashes at intersections. When the evaluations were considered together it is estimated that camera enforcement of red-light offences reduces the number of casualty crashes at intersections by around 30 per cent.”

Intersections with safety cameras will be signposted accordingly. However, motorists need to be aware that there is only one sign warning of the new safety camera, unlike existing fixed speed cameras which have three warning signs in advance.

For more information, please visit the RTA’s Safety camera page.

Will safety cameras reduce the number of crashes at intersections? Will they make you slow down?