Greenslips Blog

The State Government announced this week that it will introduce a new course for learner drivers.

The course, which is still to be developed, will be aimed at giving learner drivers skills to become safer drivers.

A board of independent road safety experts and advisory panel will be appointed to make recommendations on the structure of the course.

Learner drivers who complete a safer driving course will have their log book requirements reduced from the current 120 hours to 100 hours.

Learner drivers will be able to combine the safer driving course with the three for one driving lessons concession to reduce their log book requirement to 80 hours.

We have reported on the review of registration label requirements for light vehicles in NSW.

The report and recommendations were expected by the end of 2011.

We checked on the status with the NSW Government, Better Regulation Office today.

Whilst the Better Regulation Office will not commit to a timeframe, it is likely that the report and recommendations will be released in the next few months. Depending on the recommendations, implementation will be some time later.

The MAA has released new Market Practice Guidelines, commencing 1 January 2012. All insurers are required to comply with the guidelines, unless the MAA approves otherwise.

There have been some notable changes to the guidelines.

New to the guidelines is clause 2)f), which requires that all insurers will sell greenslips over the phone, including payment by MasterCard and VISA.

Clause 3)i)g, has been amended so that an insurer can no longer require a customer to go to the insurers Head Office to purchase a greenslip.

More on this later.