The New South Wales Government has just had its 20,000th young learner driver sign up for the Safer Drivers Course, meaning good news for all those on state roads.
The course was a project developed with consideration of the latest research by an independent road safety board, making it specially designed to aid young drivers. The aim of the Safe Drivers Course is to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to better prepare them for when they graduate to their P-Plates.
Repeat drink driving offenders will find themselves faced with an additional hurdle before they start their engines from next month.
From February 1, NSW courts will introduce mandatory alcohol interlocks which will require drivers to pass an integrated breathalyser test before driving.
According to Transport for NSW, drink driving is a factor in around 20 per cent of all fatal accidents in the state, but a recent campaign has highlighted the improving attitudes of motorists.
Operation Drink Drive 2 was conducted in early November, with authorities stopping and breath-testing drivers on NSW’s major highways as well as suburban and country roads. This year saw the operation open its net wider to test more motorists across a larger catchment area.
There is no doubt that the freight industry is one of the most important sectors for NSW.
It is vital for truck operators and drivers to ensure their vehicles are safe and compliant and that the green slip and registration is up to date.
For all the benefits that this industry brings to NSW, there are also a number of road-related issues. It is important for the government and police to be vigilant to ensure the safety of all road users.
The latest example of this has recently wrapped up – Operation Shield. The collaboration between Joint Heavy Vehicle Taskforce Officers from the NSW Police Force Traffic & Highway Patrol Command and Maritime Services Inspectors saw heavy vehicles checked at 15 locations across the state during the first week of December.
Over the past few years, NSW authorities have had a major focus on drink driving. However, a new threat has emerged that will need serious attention in the years ahead – drug driving.
It is important to remember that your CTP insurance will cover you if you were in an incident with a drug driver, but the circumstances are less clear if you are the party in the wrong.
Drug driving involves motorists driving after taking one of the following substances: cannabis, methamphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine or an overdose of individual prescription medicines. However, many drivers have a combination of two or more in their system.
Authorities are encountering more drivers who are under the influence and are a danger to other road users.
The NSW government is implementing a new 40kmh limit speed zone in the Sydney CBD, to take effect from 27 September 2014. This will see the current speed limit drop by 10kmh in a zone bound by Castlereagh Street to the east, Kent Street to the west and Hay Street to the south. To the north, the new zone will connect to the existing 40 kmh zone in The Rocks.
Truck safety is one of the most important aspects of the transport industry. With NSW roads carrying more than 60 per cent of the nation’s freight, road users can be affected if operators take risks.
To address this issue, authorities conduct regular campaigns targeting both unsafe and illegal behaviour.
For a number of years, some of NSW’s road rules have been behind the rest of Australia. Whether through the inconsistencies of previous governments or other states improving their legislation ahead of NSW, some motorists have found themselves on the wrong side of law simply because they have crossed the border.
From 1 September, however, 15 minor amendments will come into force and there will be greater consistency between all the Australian states and territories. Many of the amendments have been described as common sense as in the past there have been small loopholes in the system.
All NSW road users should be safer in the future, with the alcohol interlocks law passing the state parliament this month (August 2014).
A speeding truck is a dangerous prospect for all NSW road users, but it seems the industry has cleaned up its act in recent years thanks to a concerted effort from multiple agencies.
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