HELEN KEMPTON
September 19, 2009 07:46am
SPEED cameras will be reprogrammed to give leadfoots even less leeway as a crackdown on Tasmania's drivers continues.
Under existing laws, speeding drivers are issued with a fine only whenthey exceed the inbuilt "tolerance" level factored into speed cameras.
From next month the tolerance level will be slashed but police will not reveal what the new tolerance level will be.
Victoria has a zero tolerance level on its speed cameras.
"The speed limit is the speed limit," Assistant Commissioner Scott Tilyard said yesterday.
"Don't speed and you won't find out what that new tolerance level is.
"This is not about revenue raising, it is about improving driver behaviour.
"That's why we are announcing this change in advance, so drivers have the opportunity to slow down."
Road Safety Task Force chairman Paul Hogan applauded the move.
Hesaid it beefed up other excellent initiatives which had been takensince Tasmania was rocked by nine deaths on the roads in one day onJuly 9.
"Law-breaking drivers have had it too good for too long," Mr Hogan said.
"What we are seeing is a measured response to a tragic year."
He said Tasmanian drivers had enjoyed a "generous buffer" under the old tolerance level.
"I don't know what the new tolerance level will be. But I do know the old one was too generous," Mr Hogan said.
"The posted speed limit is there for a reason. Being just over is not OK."
Thechanges are limited to road safety camera operations and will notimpact on the discretion of individual police officers conductingtransport duties.
Mr Tilyard said Tasmania Police had reporteda jump in the number of traffic-related calls to its Police AssistanceLine and he encouraged Tasmanians to continue to play a role in roadsafety.
Meanwhile, Clarence City Council alderman Tony Mulderis pushing for a colour-coded speed limit alert system to be introducedin Tasmania.
Ald Mulder, a former police officer, also wants the number of speed limits to be reduced to stop confusion.
He said on-road, roadside and guide post reflectors should be installed to highlight the applicable speed limit.
"Itis easy to inadvertently speed [less than 15km/h over the limit] if youhave missed the last little white sign," Ald Mulder said.
"Inadvertentspeeding accounts for the bulk of speed detection revenue, so providinga constant visual reminder of the applicable speed will increasevoluntary compliance, leaving only deliberate speeders contributing tothe state coffers."
STRENGTHENING ROAD SAFETY MEASURES
*Plainclothes police to be armed with mobile phones to nab drivers foroffences like talking on mobiles and not wearing seat belts.
* A new series of TV, radio and newspaper ads to focus on preventing offences which contribute to crashes.
* A new learner driver program -- the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness one-day program -- launched in schools.
*Every police officer in the Southern District to be given a hit list ofthe state's worst driving offenders, complete with photographs,addresses and vehicles they are likely to be caught driving.
*Camera technology with the ability to detect criminals at large, aswell as bad drivers, to be introduced. The camera, mounted in a patrolcar, will photograph an oncoming vehicle and scan a database ofunlicensed and unregistered vehicles and disqualified drivers.
*The minimum period for vehicle confiscation increased from seven to 28days and drink-drivers can now have their vehicle clamped.
* Increased penalties for drug-driving.
TOUGH NEW PENALTIES | Current Penalty | New Penalty | | Exceed Limit By | Demerits | Fine | Demerits | Fine | | <10kh/h | 1 | $50 | 2 | $80 | | 10 – 14kh/h | 1 | $80 | 2 | $110 | | 15 – 22kh/h | 3 | $110 | 3 | $150 | | 23 – 29kh/h | 3 | $140 | 3 | $250 | | 30 – 37kh/h | 4 | $190 | 5 | $450 | | 38 – 44kh/h* | 4 | $250 | 6 | $650 | | >45kh/h* | 6 | $400 | 6 | $900 |
* Automatic loss of licence also applies to these offences.
http://www.themercury.com.au/art ... 8331_road-toll.html |
微信扫一扫
提升卡
置顶卡
变色卡
抢沙发
