Top tips to make it a crash-free Christmas
2 December 2010

Getting behind the wheel is a necessity for many of us during the holiday period, whether it be driving to a Christmas function or going away on Boxing Day.

Spending extra time on the road means you should be extra prepared!

Play your part towards a safe holiday season:

• Get your car ready for a driving holiday and make sure you're prepared for an unexpected emergency – check out these safety tips from the RAA.
• Stay alert and attentive when driving. Stop and take a rest every two hours. Driver Reviver stations will be operating across the state during the holidays.
• Ensure you and your passengers are properly restrained with a seatbelt or child restraint.
• Store luggage safely and securely in the boot.
• Avoid taking risks like driving too fast for the road conditions, drink or drug driving or using a mobile phone.

Read more on the MyLicence web site

Your turn - safer, greener more active travel for teenagers
15 September 2010

Your turn is a resource for teachers of students in years 8 and 9 in South Australian schools. It contains teaching and learning activities that explore factors influencing young people's decision making in the road environment.  

Teaching and learning activities are relevant to middle years students travelling as pedestrians, passengers in private vehicles and public transport, bike riders, skateboarders, roller-bladers, even horse riders – as well as being future drivers.

• View the Your Turn web page
• Media Release

A safer tomorrow starts today
30 August 2010

The Road  Safety Advisory Council is asking South Australians to get on board to save lives and prevent injuries and help us plan for our next road safety strategy 2011–2020.

Come along to one of the public events and join in on the conversation. Share your thoughts and explore what you and your community can contribute to help shape the future of road safety in South Australia.

• register to attend - registrations have now closed
• download the information brochure (PDF 2Mb)

$8 million Black Spot funding injection
21 July 2010

South Australian roads are set for safety improvements through an $8 million investment in State Black Spot projects this financial year.

The funding will be allocated to 13 new road projects across metropolitan and regional locations and includes sealing of road shoulders; removing, modifying or shielding motorists from roadside hazards; and improving the layout of intersections and road junctions.

It includes a Safer Local Roads component with local government contributing $686,000 towards local road projects across the state.

• Media Release

New child restraint laws for South Australia
19 May 2010

From 1 July 2010, drivers must ensure children are secured in approved restraints when travelling in a motor vehicle.

National child restraint laws will be introduced in South Australia from 1 July to help protect children in the event of a crash. Enforcement penalties will apply from 1 October 2010.

From birth, children start with a rearward-facing infant restraint, progress to a forward-facing child safety seat and finally graduate to a booster seat before using an adult seatbelt when they are tall enough.

Nothing else offers the same level of crash protection for babies and young children as a properly fitted child restraint.

• South Australia's new child restraint laws
• Media Release
  

Drug and drink driving penalties strengthened
1 February 2010

From 1 February 2010, any person who commits a drink or drug driving offence will face tougher penalties, including:

• A three month licence disqualification for a first court conviction when:

  • driving with a prescribed drug (including cannabis, speed or ecstasy) present in saliva or blood, or
  • driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 to 0.079.
• Heavier penalties for repeat offenders, with courts considering previous drink and drug driving offences during sentencing.
• An alcohol or drug dependency assessment may be required (depending on the number of previous drink or drug driving offences committed).

For example, if a person has, within the previous five years, expiated or been convicted of one of the following offences they will require an alcohol or drug dependency assessment.

A blood sample must be taken from any person 10 years or older, who attends or is admitted to hospital for treatment as a result of a boat or motor vehicle accident (previously the minimum age was 14 years). In addition, South Australia Police will now be able to test boat operators for prescribed drugs (including cannabis, speed and ecstasy) under the same conditions as drug testing for vehicle drivers. 

• Safer Behaviours - Alcohol & drink driving
• Safer Behaviours - Drug driving
• Media Release