Changes to Road Safety Rules for Motorcyclists

from November 9th 2009

 

There are three new rules for motorcyclists:

  1. No passengers under eight years old. A young child under eight years of age can’t be carried as a passenger on a motorcycle, unless in a sidecar.
  2. Travelling in a sidecar. When a sidecar is used, it can only carry the number of passengers for which it is designed.
  3. No animals between rider and handlebars. Animals can’t be carried between the rider and the handlebars of a motorcycle.

 

Exemptions

There is an exemption for farmers. While working, a farmer can carry an animal between the rider and the handlebars of a motorcycle for up to 500 metres on a road.

 

What you have to do

If you are carrying young passengers, other than in a sidecar, make sure that they are at least eight years old, they can reach the foot pegs and they are wearing an approved motorcycle helmet. Also limit your sidecar passengers and use other ways to transport animals.

 

Road safety reasons

Motorcyclists are amongst the most vulnerable of all road users. They are 34 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than car drivers and passengers

 

1. Why is the minimum age of a motorcycle passenger, other than in a sidecar, eight years?

 

The minimum age of eight years reflects the developmental stage of the child. Children under eight may not have the awareness of leaning into corners or other safe riding techniques. They also are at risk of not holding on to the rider and may become distracted or tired.

 

2. My eight year old cannot reach the foot pegs. Can I still take them as a pillion passenger?

 

No, it is essential that a passenger on a motorcycle that is moving, or is stationary but not parked, must:

(a) sit astride the pillion seat facing forwards; and

(b) keep both feet on the footrests designed for use by a pillion passenger on the motorcycle.

 

 

Other Rule Changes:

Seatbelts

From 9 November 2009, there will be some changes to the road safety rules about seatbelts.

 

  1. Drivers to make sure seatbelts and child restraints are used.
  2. It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all passengers in the car are wearing a seatbelt or a child restraint.
  3. When all seatbelts or child restraints are used, no extra unrestrained passengers are permitted in the vehicle (implemented December 2008).

 

Exemptions

This rule does not apply to the driver of a bus. The rule also does not apply to a taxi driver with passengers 16 years old or older. However, an adult passenger commits an offence themselves if they travel in a taxi without a seatbelt.

 

Also there are exemptions for some types of vehicles that are not required to be fitted with seatbelts.

 

What you have to do

As the driver, you have to ensure that anyone travelling in the vehicle is in their own child restraint (for passengers under seven years of age) or seatbelt.

 

What should a driver do if a passenger refuses to wear a seatbelt?

A driver must ensure each passenger is wearing a seatbelt or in an approved child restraint before starting the vehicle. If the driver notices the passenger has undone their seatbelt, the driver should request that it be done up. If the passenger refuses to re-fasten the seatbelt, the driver should stop the car when safe to do so.

 

It is important to remember that, in a crash, an unrestrained passenger has a much greater risk of injury or death or may cause injury or death to the driver, or other passengers within the car.

 

Road safety reason

Wearing a seatbelt is one of the simplest and most effective ways of protecting drivers and passengers. Each year about 20 per cent of all car occupants killed in road crashes were not wearing a seatbelt.

 

Using mobile phones and visual display units

The new mobile phone rules have been revised. The change now allows both the navigational (GPS) and audio/music functions of a mobile phone to be used, provided the mobile phone is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle.

 

Mobile phones

·         Using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited, except to make or receive a phone call or to use its audio/music functions provided the phone is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle, or can be operated by the driver without touching any part of the phone.

·         Using a phone as a GPS while driving is prohibited unless it is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle. All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited.

·         Learner and P1 drivers are prohibited from using a mobile phone at all while driving.

·         Holding the phone (whether or not engaged in a phone call) is also prohibited. Holding includes resting the mobile on the driver’s lap.

 

Visual display units

  • A driver must not drive a vehicle that has a television receiver or a visual display unit operating if any part of the screen is visible to the driver or is likely to distract another driver.
  • A driver can use a driver’s aid such as a navigation device but it must be an integrated part of the vehicle design, or secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle.

 

Exemptions

The rule relating to securing visual display units does not apply to motorcycles.

 

Road safety reasons

  • Using a mobile phone or a visual display unit as you drive is distracting and creates dangerous situations that could be fatal.
  • The risk of being involved in a crash increases by as much as four times when using a mobile phone as you drive, and if you are texting, the risk of crashing increases to 23 times.

 

U-turns and overtaking

From 9 November 2009, there will be some changes to the road safety rules about U-turns and overtaking over the centre dividing line, lane lines and painted islands.

 

Centre dividing line

A driver will not be able to overtake, or do a U-turn across a single continuous centre line, or a single continuous line to the left of a broken line. However a driver can cross over a centre dividing line (except a double continuous centre dividing line) when entering or leaving the road.

 

Lane lines

A driver must not change lanes over a single continuous lane line.

 

Painted islands

  • A driver must not drive over a painted island that is surrounded by a single continuous line. However, a driver can drive over the island if they are entering or leaving the road, or entering a turning lane that begins immediately after the painted island.
  • A driver must not drive over a painted island at a freeway on-ramp. It is also illegal to drive on a painted island that is surrounded by a double line.

 

What you have to do

Remember that you can only cross a single continuous centre line if you are entering or leaving the road or to avoid an obstruction. You can’t overtake or do a U-turn over a single continuous line or a double continuous line.

 

New  Fines

VICROADS HAS TODAY announced higher fines for motorists caught speeding, with ‘on-the-spot’ fines for driving more than 30km/h over the limit rising from $310 to $380. To be introduced from November, the new higher penalties follow figures released last month that showed Victorian speeding fine revenue has risen dramatically in the past year.

VicRoads Acting Director for Road User Safety, Antoinetta Cavallo, said today that the new penalties reflect the danger posed by speeding or drink driving. They follow increased penalties introduced in May for not wearing a seatbelt or driving while talking on a mobile phone.

“The increased penalties target extremely dangerous behaviours which are known contributors to fatalities on Victoria’s roads. Speeding directly contributes to at least 30 per cent of deaths on Victoria’s roads each year. Penalties will now better reflect the seriousness of high level speeding offences,” Ms Cavallo said.

In addition to the increased fine, motorists travelling 30km/h or more over the speed limit will lose up to eight demerit points. Drivers caught speeding 45km/h or more over the limit will face court-imposed fines of up to $2336.

Motorists with a blood-alcohol level of 0.10, which causes a five times greater risk of an incident, face immediate licence suspension, a fine of more than $526 and a potential court-imposed fine of $2336.

“These tougher penalties are aimed at drivers who continue to flout the road rules at great risk to themselves and others. We know penalties play an important role in discouraging dangerous behaviour on the roads. In addition to increased financial penalties, demerit points for some of the new road rules, which will take effect in November 2009, will be introduced,” she said.

The new penalties and increased loss of demerit points forms part of the Government’s road safety strategy arrive alive 2008 – 2017, which aims to reduce the road toll by a further 30 percent.

Last year, Victoria recorded its lowest road toll since records began, with 303 deaths.

 

Source: http://www.themotorreport.com.au/44371/victorian-motorists-facing-higher-speeding-fines/