In January 2013, the NSW government abolished registration for light vehicles, effectively 97% of vehicles then registered in NSW. Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) would save $575,000 a year spent on printing and posting them. Next Victoria abolished stickers in January 2014 and Queensland recently followed suit.
Not many drivers are likely to know exactly how many demerit points apply for driving offences in NSW. But since 1997, double demerits apply during busy holiday times. You can very quickly reach the limit and have your driving licence suspended or renewal refused.
Motorists who renew registration online can get $15 national parks discount on two popular passes to NSW national parks.
The discount applies now. It runs from 20 December 2015 to December 2016 for one 12-month, annual All Park or Multi-Park Pass.
The days of carrying a licence in your wallet – or stuffed into your back pocket – are coming to an end. Following an election promise, the NSW government plans to make all forms of licence digital in the next few years.
As you pack up the car for a holiday this Christmas, remember you are 20 times more likely to crash if you text while driving. It’s a sobering statistic – and statistics are based on the experiences of ordinary people. This is why double demerits are being extended to using mobiles.
For the first time, the NSW Roads Minister, Duncan Gay, is doubling demerit points for drivers who use their phones. It starts during the Christmas period from December 24 to January 3. Though it sounds tough, as Minister Gay says:
“If I saved your life, I’ve done you a favour.”
A recent announcement of new helmet regulations by Minister for Roads Duncan Gay will please motorcycle riders in New South Wales. In a Transport for NSW media release, the minister explained that European standard helmets, as well as those from other countries, would soon be available for use.
A change in helmet regulations would bring NSW into the fold with other states such as Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory, states Mr Gay.
One of the requisites for operating a vehicle, whether it’s a passenger car, motorbike or freight truck, is adequate vision. Not only do we need our sight to ostensibly see where we are going, but our sight needs to have sufficient acuity to allow us to perceive and react to various hazards in time. Some people experience central vision loss.
While for many Australian drivers, the eye test part of the licence application is a simple formality, for others it can be a barrier to their ability to operate a vehicle.
Now a new study by Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School has examined the ability of drivers with central vision loss to detect pedestrians on the road.
For people learning to drive, there are many skills that must be acquired. In addition to navigating different hazards and managing distractions, new drivers must also learn to drive safely in conditions where visibility is poor, such as night. But the crash rate is still too high.
A study sponsored by the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development found that young or inexperienced drivers were more likely to be slower at anticipating hazards at night. In addition, novice drivers were also found to be more at risk of experiencing acute sleepiness when they were behind the wheel both at night or in the early hours of the morning.
As such, a number of states have regulations in place to limit the amount of unsupervised nighttime driving for learners.
Hazard perception is a key element for safe driving. When drivers are distracted, their ability to recognise and respond to hazards can be hindered, which can in turn lead to accidents. Mobile phones are one big distraction.
New research has found that a mobile phone ringing whilst you are driving is as big a distraction as actually answering the call.
Young drivers could be more at risk of a fatal crash when they are carrying passengers, according to a recent study. Young drivers hold 16 per cent of the licences in Australia, and also represent the age group with the highest crash rate, according to the National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA).
If you didn’t find the answer to your question, please send it to us and we will answer it as soon as we can.