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New Road Rules - Drivers

 

New road rules for drivers

Whilst all of the new road rules affect drivers, some of the key changes for drivers include the following:

• At an intersection, a driver must stop at the first stop line and must not enter a bicycle storage area for cyclists when the traffic light is red.
• If a driver is blocking a driveway, the driver is only allowed two minutes to pick up or drop off passengers and must not leave the vehicle unattended. People with disabilities have 5 minutes.
• A driver must not have another person or animal on their lap.
• If two vehicles, for example a bicycle and a car or two motorcycles, are travelling in the same single marked lane and one vehicle diverges to the left or right within the marked lane, the diverging vehicle must give way.
• A driver can only operate front or rear fog lights if driving in fog or other hazardous weather conditions. You also must not use a light on a vehicle that dazzles or is likely to dazzle another road user.
• Drivers must now ensure windows of a motor vehicle are secured (in addition to locking the vehicle) if moving more than 3 metres away from the vehicle (unless vehicle is attended by a person aged 16 years or more).
• It is not only illegal to drive a vehicle with a device used to detect speed measuring devices, but now it will be illegal to tow a trailer with such a device in or on it.

 

New Rules - Phone VDU's Seat Belts

Using Mobile Phones and Visual Display Units

Using a mobile phone while driving is banned except to make or receive a phone call 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.

All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited.

Holding the phone (whether or not engaged in a phone call) is also prohibited. 'Holding' includes resting the mobile on the driver's lap, or between the chin and shoulder or passing the phone to a passenger.

Penalty

The demerit point penalty for using a mobile phone whilst driving will increase from 2 to 3
demerit points on 30 November 2009. From 1 FebIn Detaruary 2010, the monetary penalty for illegally using a mobile phone while driving will increase from $110 to $300

Visual display units (VDUs)

A driver must not drive a vehicle that has a television receiver or a visual display unit (VDU) 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, which is fixed to the vehicle.

Exemptions

The rule relating to securing visual display units does not apply to motorcycles, if the VDU is a driver's aid.

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.

Child Restraints

From 30 November 2010 all children under seven years of age must wear an approved child restraint that is properly fastened and adjusted when travelling in a car for improved safety. The type of restraint will depend on the age of the child as follows:

• under the age of six months: to be restrained in an approved rearward facing child restraint (e.g. infant capsule)
• from six months to less than the age of four: to be restrained in either an approved rearward facing child restraint or an approved forward facing child restraint with inbuilt harness (e.g. child safety seat)

There are also new laws about where children can sit in vehicles.

• If a car has two or more rows of seats, then children under four years must not travel in the front seat.
• If all seats, other than the front seats, are being used by children under seven years, children aged between four and six years (inclusive) may travel in the front seat, provided they use an approved child restraint or booster seat.

From 30 November 2010, children aged four years to less than the age of seven must be restrained in either an approved forward facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat restrained by a correctly adjusted and fastened seatbelt.

Guide to selecting a child restraint

The following table is a guide to selecting a suitable child restraint.

 

Age	Indicative weight	Child restraint
0 to 6 months	less than 8 kilograms (kgs)	Rearward facing baby capsule or infant restraint
6 months to 1 year	8 to 12 kgs	Rearward or forward facing infant restraint
6 months to 4 years	8 to 18 kgs	Forward facing child restraint with built-in harness
4 years to 7 years	14 to 26 kgs	Booster seat with H-harness or a booster seat with a secured adult seatbelt

Selecting the appropriate restraint is only the first step in protecting your child. No restraint will work properly or prevent injury if it has not been fitted correctly in accordance with the manufacturer's directions.

When choosing a child restraint, the child's age is the primary factor in determining the correct restraint to use for your child. The size and weight of your child may however, have an impact on what type of child restraint is appropriate.

Penalty

The penalty for failing to ensure a child aged under 16 years wears a child restraint or seat belt as required, is 3 demerit points and $350 fine.

DIER also recommends

That you have restraints fitted by an experienced child restraint fitter.

What you have to do

To comply with the new child restraint rules you have to:

• know which is the correct child restraint(s) to use; and
• ensure that each child passenger is wearing a properly fitted and fastened approved child restraint suitable for their age every time you drive a car.

Further advice on appropriate child restraints and fitting services is available from organisations such as Kidsafe and RACT or check your telephone or business directory for local providers.

Road safety reasons

• On average, nearly 38 children under the age of seven are injured or killed as passengers in vehicles on Tasmanian roads each year.
• Parents are generally moving their children into adult seatbelts from about the age of five and half years - research suggests this is simply too early.
• Children up to seven years are at least four times more likely to sustain a head injury in a crash when sitting in an adult seatbelt only.
• Other research shows seating children aged four to seven years old in an appropriate booster seat reduces their risk of injury in a crash by almost 60 per cent, compared to if they were sitting in an adult seatbelt without a booster seat.

Exemptions

Taxi drivers are exempt from the above rules if there is no child restraint available in the taxi. However, taxi drivers will be responsible for ensuring a child aged 1 year to less than 16 years wears an available seat belt to the best extent possible given the height and weight of the child, if there is no available child restraint. Parents are encouraged to use their own restraints in taxis where possible.

 

Seatbelts

Drivers to make sure seatbelts and child restraints are used

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all passengers in the car are wearing a seatbelt or a child restraint. Drivers must now also ensure that adult passengers wear a seatbelts.

When all seatbelts or child restraints are used, no extra unrestrained passengers can travel in the vehicle.

Penalties

Penalties for seat belt and child restraints offences now range from $300 to $350 fine and 3 demerit points for drivers and $300 fine for passengers.

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, as they would in a private vehicle.

Also there are exemptions for some types of vehicles that are not required to be fitted with seatbelts (eg vintage cars).

Medical reasons for exemptions - people in Tasmania can only be exempt from wearing a seat belt for medical reasons if they are carrying an exemption issued by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

What you have to do

As the driver, you have to ensure that anyone travelling in the vehicle is in their own child restraint (refer to the new rules for child restraints) or seatbelt.

Drivers have to also ensure that passengers of any age do not travel in or on parts of a vehicle that are not enclosed.

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

A driver must ensure each passenger is wearing a seatbelt or is 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.

 

Cyclists

The changes are about bicycle passengers wearing an approved helmet and using the proper seat, and for cyclists turning from, and stopping in, bicycle storage areas at intersections with traffic signals.

Seat and helmet

A bicycle passenger must wear an approved bicycle helmet and sit on a proper seat when riding on a bicycle.

Area reserved for cyclists (bicycle storage area)

Some intersections controlled by traffic signals in Tasmania now have bicycle storage areas. These are painted areas on the road in front of the usual stop line that allow cyclists to wait at traffic lights in safety. A cyclist can enter these areas from the preceding bicycle lane moving to the far left or right to make left or right turns.

As a motorist, what must I do at an intersection with a bicycle storage area?

If the traffic lights change to red, you must stop at the first stop line. Cyclists are allowed to proceed beyond the first stop line to the second stop line inside the bicycle storage area. See diagram.

What to do at intersections

When turning at intersections with a bicycle storage area a bicycle rider:

• if turning left, must be in the left lane of the reserved area
• if turning right, must be in the right lane of the reserved area (where there is a bicycle storage area in the right lane).

What you have to do

If you are a bicycle passenger, make sure you are wearing an approved bicycle helmet and sitting on a proper seat.

If you are using the bicycle storage area ensure you keep clear of the pedestrian area.

What else can cyclists do to increase safety?

• Use lights at night at both the front and rear of the bicycle

Road safety reasons

Cyclists and their passengers are some of the most vulnerable road users. These new rules aim to improve their safety when riding with traffic.

If both cyclists and their passengers wear helmets, the risk of head injury is reduced in a crash.

Using a proper seat keeps the bicycle more stable and lessens the risk of crashing.

Bicycle storage areas allow cyclists to wait ahead of traffic at intersections with traffic lights and to get a head start on motor vehicles.This way cyclists can be more easily seen by drivers.

 

Pedestrians

The changes are about bicycle passengers wearing an approved helmet and using the proper seat, and for cyclists turning from, and stopping in, bicycle storage areas at intersections with traffic signals.

Seat and helmet

A bicycle passenger must wear an approved bicycle helmet and sit on a proper seat when riding on a bicycle.

Area reserved for cyclists (bicycle storage area)

Some intersections controlled by traffic signals in Tasmania now have bicycle storage areas. These are painted areas on the road in front of the usual stop line that allow cyclists to wait at traffic lights in safety. A cyclist can enter these areas from the preceding bicycle lane moving to the far left or right to make left or right turns.

As a motorist, what must I do at an intersection with a bicycle storage area?

If the traffic lights change to red, you must stop at the first stop line. Cyclists are allowed to proceed beyond the first stop line to the second stop line inside the bicycle storage area. See diagram.

What to do at intersections

When turning at intersections with a bicycle storage area a bicycle rider:

• if turning left, must be in the left lane of the reserved area
• if turning right, must be in the right lane of the reserved area (where there is a bicycle storage area in the right lane).

What you have to do

If you are a bicycle passenger, make sure you are wearing an approved bicycle helmet and sitting on a proper seat.

If you are using the bicycle storage area ensure you keep clear of the pedestrian area.

What else can cyclists do to increase safety?

• Use lights at night at both the front and rear of the bicycle

Road safety reasons

Cyclists and their passengers are some of the most vulnerable road users. These new rules aim to improve their safety when riding with traffic.

If both cyclists and their passengers wear helmets, the risk of head injury is reduced in a crash.

Using a proper seat keeps the bicycle more stable and lessens the risk of crashing.

Bicycle storage areas allow cyclists to wait ahead of traffic at intersections with traffic lights and to get a head start on motor vehicles.This way cyclists can be more easily seen by drivers.

 

Motorised Scooters (ie 'Wheeled Recreational Devices')

 

PLEASE NOTE:  Motorised scooters referred to here DO NOT include motorised wheelchairs or the typical electric scooters used by people with mobility difficulties

Motorised Scooters

For the purposes of the Road Rules these low powered motorised scooters will be treated the same as riders of foot-powered scooters, skateboards and rollerblades (ie 'wheeled recreational devices').

A person riding a motorised scooter that is powered by a motor or motors not exceeding a maximum power output of 200 watts, will now be permitted to ride on paths and some roads. These are motorised scooters having two or more wheels and a footboard supported by the wheels, steered by handlebars and designed to be used by one person.

The new rules

The riders of motorised scooters will in future be required to wear an approved bicycle helmet; and as with other wheeled recreational devices, motorised scooters:

• can be used on paths and roads where the speed limit is 50 km/h or less but cannot be used on roads with dividing lines or median strips;
• must keep to the left on roads and paths and must not be ridden two abreast;
• must not be used on the road at night except if crossing by the shortest route, for example at an intersection, although they can be used on paths at night; and
• must give way to walkers and be ridden with due care and attention.

If you intend riding a motorised scooter make sure the scooter does not have a motor (or motors) with a power output that exceeds 200 watts, wear an approved bicycle helmet and obey all of the road rules applying to the riders of wheeled recreational devices.

Also do not use a motorised scooter in areas that display either of the signs below.

 

 

Parking

Stopping to park in a slip lane or on a painted island will be prohibited. A slip lane is an area of road for vehicles turning left. It is separated from other parts of the road by a painted island or traffic island...more info...

 

Motorcyclists

There are three new rules for motorcyclists...more info...

 

Front Fog Lights

The new road rules now require that a driver of a vehicle fitted with front fog lights (or rear fog lights) must not operate the fog lights unless the driver is driving in fog or other hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility...more info...

 

Other road rule changes

On 30 November 2009 there will be a number of other changes to the road rules a full version of the road rules can be viewed at www.thelaw.tas.gov.au …more info…