Everybody knows driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous. More recently, Australian police started testing drivers for drugs that are known to adversely affect their driving. Now a recent US study finds drivers with a combination of alcohol and marijuana in their body are five times more likely than sober drivers to cause fatal two-car crashes. Read More
Congestion charging could be the future of road pricing in Australia. Road congestion in Australian cities already costs about $16 billion a year, as well as non-economic factors like road rage, frustration and inconvenience. If drivers paid for their own use of roads, it could be fairer – even cheaper – than paying for registration. Read More
Australians still use their mobile phones while driving, in spite of the risks. During 2016-17, NSW police caught 39,007 in the act. The worst suburb was Sydney, where 2,042 drivers were caught using a mobile illegally, followed by 1,292 in Parramatta and 669 in Waterloo. Read More
If you’re going on a road trip with your children, chances are they’ll be on their phones or tablets. Some parents say car trips are a good opportunity to talk to their kids because it’s a small space and there’s no eye contact. But it appears family holidays today are more about watching screens than talking. Read More
There’s never a convenient time for your vehicle to break down but most people break down some time. The most common reason in NSW, according to NRMA, is flat batteries. In Britain, the top reason for AA callouts is tyre-related, ahead of battery faults. Read More
Did you know we have as many pets in Australia today – 24 million – as there are people? In fact, 62% of households have a pet, compared to 65% in the US and only 40% in the UK. Some 38% of pet owners have dogs and 29% have cats. This means, any day on the road, someone has a beloved pet in the back of their car or sitting on the tray of their ute. Read More
If driverless cars are going to work on Australian roads, then we have to change many of our existing laws. For example, how do we define the driver? National Transport Commission (NTC) invited stakeholders to have a say on this crucial change coming to Australian roads. Read More
Around 1,200 people die on Australian roads each year and 800 are seriously injured each week. Towards Zero recognises there’s no acceptable level of death or injury on the roads. Yet the annual road toll has fallen only 13% since 2010, well short of the National Road Safety Strategy 2020 target of at least 30% drop. Read More
Novice drivers need to know about three changes to graduated licensing in NSW starting from 20 November 2017. These changes apply to learner, P1 and P2 drivers.
The NSW senate road tolling inquiry has just released an eye-opening report. It recommends more transparency in tolling agreements and the companies involved with them. Motorists have no idea how much of their tax, or their tolls, is going to private financiers to bear which risks. Nor how much profit these companies expect from public infrastructure. Read More
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