Victorian Road Rules and Regulations 2009New regulations road show

Background

• The Road Safety Regulations project will provide up to date road safety regulations, that are nationally consistent.

• They will help Victoria achieve its road safety target of reducing deaths and serious injuries by a further 30 per cent by 2017.

• The current regulations are 10 years old and will expire in November 2009.

Components

The changes are in two parts:

“Sunsetting” of Victoria’s existing road safety regulations Implementation of the nationally agreed amendments to the

Australian Road Rules

Summary of New Regulations

Road Safety (General) Regulations Road Safety Road Rules Road Safety (Drivers) Regulations Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations Road Safety (Traffic Management) Regulations

Advantages of the new regulations

Will simplify the regulations and restructure / reorder

Will create a new consolidated list of regulations

Will incorporate the nationally agreed amendments to the Australian Road Rules, improving road safety

It makes the whole system work better for the regulators, enforcers, and courts.

Implications

Renumbering and new regulations names may have impact for forms and documentation which references regulations Parking tickets

General Reference Codes / offences

See example on next slide

Consultation period on some aspects of the Drivers, Vehicles and Traffic Management regulations. Traffic Management submission period closed 2 October

Consultation on the Road Rules has already been conducted by the NTC

Linemarkings (on linemarking slide)

Implications

Traffic management changes

The Road Safety (Road Rules) Regulations 1999 contained: subject matter some road rules, the main road rules being made as a Gazette made under

the Regulations. Separating the above into 2 new regulations

the road rules in the Road Safety Road Rules 2009 remainder made as the Road Safety (Traffic Management)

Regulations 2009.

Traffic management advantages

Advantages:

No changes to delegations

School crossing supervisors authority to use hand held signs

Clear document setting out traffic management requirements

Provision to recoup admin expenses for applications

Administrative burden reductions

Traffic management changes

The substance of the regulations are unchanged. Table shows how they translate from the old into the new (at a broad level):

Clauses are not word-for-word identical even if the substance is unchanged: made more readable clarify confusion that has arisen in the 1999 Regs, increased consistency with the road hierarchy under the Road Management

Act 2004.

Subject Road Rules Regs 1999 Traffic Management Regs 2009

Installation of Traffic Control Items Part 3 Part 2

Activities on Roads Part 4 Part 3

Stock on Roads Part 5 Being moved to Road Rules

Miscellaneous Part 6 Mostly to Road Rules but 2 provisions to Part 5

Traffic Management Plans n/a Part 4

Questions?

Road Safety Rules

The ARR are model law agreed by all states/territories to provide consistency in road rules.

Have been subject to extensive consultation conducted by the NTC. VicRoads has also advised councils of the amendments as they have been released.

10 key changes - to improve safety, mobility, or sharing of the road

Many other amendments are minor clarifications to rectify legal anomalies or improve enforcement.

Anyone who uses roads will need to know changes to the Road Safety Rules.

ARR Amendment Packages

There are several outstanding nationally agreed ARR amendment packages to be implemented in Victoria: 4th ARR (General) package (2003) 5th ARR (General) package (2006) Scooter package (2006) Seatbelt package (2006) 6th (Bicycle Storage Areas) package (2007) 7th (Child Restraint) package (2008) Deferred ARR line hierarchy (1999 and Austroads) 8th ARR amendment package (2009)

~ 300 total changes

New Road Safety Regulations – key changes

Line marking Parking Child restraints Trams Seatbelts Drivers Wheeled recreational devices (scooters, skateboards, roller blades) Mobile phones & Visual display units Cyclists Motorcyclists Pedestrians

Line marking changes

Dividing lines A driver must not overtake or U-turn over a single continuous dividing

line, or a single continuous dividing line to the left of a broken line.

Line marking changes

Four lane / two way undivided roadway

Currently permitted to U-turn, after introduction of new rules u-turns not allowed

Options:Retain Change dividing line to become a broken dividing line using (9m line / 3m gap)

Line marking changes

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

Painted islands A driver must not drive on a painted island that is surrounded by a single

continuous line unless entering or leaving the road, or entering a turning lane that begins immediately after the painted island.

A driver must not drive on a painted island that is surrounded by a double line.

A driver can not drive over a painted island at a freeway on ramp.

TM note 14 provides details

Line marking changes

Left lane line is continuous line through the area where the left slip lane is developed

Post 9 November drivers will not be permitted to cross this continuous lane line to enter the left turn slip lane

A continuity line using a 1m line / 3m gap needs to be introduced along this lane line to permit drivers to move into the left turn slip lane.

Parking

A driver is not permitted to stop to park in a slip lane, or on a painted island.

Providing there is at least three metres of clear road between the car and the

following, a driver can parallel park opposite: double continuous dividing lines a single continuous dividing line a single continuous line to the left or right of a broken dividing line a dividing strip

A driver can park opposite a broken line.

Clarification of rule 205 – parking in an area Parking code changes, changes to references

Parking

Continuous dividing lines often introduced to improve delineation

3m clearance will be required between a parked vehicle and the continuous dividing line

If parking is to be permitted and there would be less than 3m between the parked vehicle and the dividing line, either make the dividing line a

broken line using a 9m line / 3m gap, or

introduce permissive parking signs (driver issue)

Trams

When sharing the road with trams, a driver must stop before passing the rear of a stopped tram at a tram stop.

A driver may then proceed at no more than 10km per hour, provided the tram doors are closed and pedestrians have completed crossing between the tram and kerb.

Trams - continued

Unless there is a sign which permits parking, a driver must not stop or park within 20 metres before a tram stop.

A driver may drive in a tram lane for up to 50 metres in order to enter or leave the road or to avoid an obstruction.

A driver is not allowed to drive in a tramway. A tramway is identified by ‘tram only’ signage and is marked along the left side of the tracks by two continuous yellow lines or raised dividing strips/separation kerb.

Child Restraints

All young children under seven years must be properly restrained when travelling in a car. The type of restraint required to be used are as follows:

Under six months old Properly fastened and adjusted approved rearward facing child restraint.

Between six months and under four years old Properly fastened and adjusted approved rearward facing OR forward facing child restraint with inbuilt harness.

Between four years but under seven years oldProperly fastened and adjusted approved forward facing child restraint with inbuilt harness OR a properly positioned booster seat and fastened and adjusted seatbelt.

Child Restraints - continued

Children under four years must not travel in the front seat of a car which has two or more rows of seats.

Children between four and seven years must not travel in the front seat unless all other seats are occupied by children under seven years of age.

After all seating positions fitted with restraints/seatbelts are occupied, carrying additional unrestrained children as passengers is prohibited.

Note - for children under seven years, taxis and buses are exempt from the mandatory child restraint law.

Seatbelts

All passengers in a car must wear a seatbelt or a child restraint.

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that all passengers, including children and adults, are wearing a child restraint or a seatbelt.

Drivers

A driver must keep a crossing clear (including children’s crossing, marked foot crossings and pedestrian crossings).

A driver must stop at the first stop line of the area reserved for cyclists, and must not enter this area when the traffic light is red.

If obstructing a driveway, a driver is only allowed two minutes to pick up or drop off passengers and must not leave the vehicle unattended.

When driving a car, the driver must not have another person or animal on their lap.

Wheeled recreational devices

Scooters, skateboards and roller blades are now described as wheeled recreational vehicles and are subject to the following rules: cannot be towed or allowed to slipstream must not be used on the road at night (except crossing by

the shortest route e.g. at traffic lights). scooter riders must wear a bicycle helmet

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.

A driver can not hold a mobile phone (whether engaged in a phone call or not).

NOTE - This rule does not apply to Learner and P1 drivers, who are not permitted to use a hand-held or hands-free mobile phone while driving.

Visual Display Units - GPS

Driver’s aids (such as GPS devices) can only be in use if they are part of the vehicle design, or are secured in a commercially designed mounting fitted to the vehicle.

Cyclists

A passenger on a bicycle must sit in a proper seat and wear a helmet.

A driver must stop at the first stop line of the area reserved for cyclists at intersections. A cyclist must stop at the second line.

To allow cyclists to do a hook turn at some intersections, an area reserved will be made available for them to do this.

Motorcyclists

A child under eight is not allowed to travel as a pillion passenger on a motorcycle. However, they are still allowed to travel in a sidecar.

A sidecar can only carry the number of passengers for which it is designed.

Animals can not be carried on the petrol tank of a motorcycle.

Next steps

Consultation period commenced in May on Drivers and Vehicles in July Traffic Management Regulations closed 2 October

Public Awareness campaign to commence on Road Rules changes Finalised road rules available: www.legislation.vic.gov.au Further information: www.roadrules.vicroads.vic.gov.au/ Parking offences in Schedule 6 of General Regulations

Contact myself or VicRoads for clarification on any aspects

Contact

Dave Goodwin

RSR Project Stakeholder relations manager

(03) 98118113

Dave.goodwin@roads.vic.gov.au

Questions?