Registration

The NSW State Government has announced that registration labels for light vehicles will be abolished from 1 January 2013.

From that date registration labels will no longer be required for cars, motorbikes and trucks with a GVM up to 4.5 tonnes.

Registration labels are not a reliable indication that a vehicle is validly registered and in any case police check vehicle registration regardless of the label.

The RMS has introduced a facility for checking vehicle registration.  If you go to the free registration check page of the RMS website and enter a vehicle registation number, you will receive information on the registration status and on the current greenslip insurer for that vehicle.

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.

Premier Kristina Keneally this week has announced changes to the demerit points scheme and changes to the requirement for signage for mobile speed cameras.

Unrestricted licence holders will receive one additional demerit point for a total of thirteen and professional drivers will receive an additional two demerit points for a total of fourteen.

The period to which points apply will remain at three years.

Demerit points will be reduced or removed for twenty-two driving offences.

Warning signs must be positioned at least fifty metres before vehicles containing mobile speed cameras and those vehicles must be signposted and marked in bright colours.

The News Release from the Premier setting out the changes is no longer available.