Should Drivers Be Required to Undergo a Biennial test

[octave]

I suspect that the solution to many some of these types of accident is technological.  Rear end collisions can be avoided or the severity reduced by technology.  The Tesla I have driven will warn of an impending collision with the car in front and will also apply emergency braking which at the very least will reduce the speed at which you hit the car in front. 

 

In an ideal world we would have the highest standards for attaining and keeping a drivers license perhaps similar to a pilots license but this is probably not practical.     

 

Vehicles have become much safer and fatalities have plummeted. There are many reasons for this.    I drove around on my learners permit supervised by my father for 3 months and then parallel parked between to sticks and then I had to drive around for probably no more than a couple of kilometers and that was all that was required to attain my license. There was no log book requirements and no P plates like today.

 

My first car was much much worse than todays cars.  No traction control no anti lock brakes and little effort to provide crash protection.

 

The technology exists to record the speed of a vehicle which can then be analyzed at rego time. This doesn't show who was driving but it does become an issue for the owner. A generous allowance could be given for overtaking etc. 

 

The road fatality rate is so much better now than in the past.  The road fatality rate will continue to drop as technology continues to improve.

 

By the way I am neither for or retesting and I would suggest most of us could probably use a refresher course on the rules.   My doubts are that the biggest killers on the road are excessive speed, alcohol and fatigue, I am not sure I am not convinced that the regular drink driver would turn up to the test drunk or the habitual speeder would speed during the test.   Regular retesting wouldn't hurt but I would suspect the gains in road safety would be minimal.

Edited July 25, 2022 by octave

[Marty_d]

One of my first cars at age 18 or so was an LH Torana with defective door locks, able to be started with a screwdriver in the key slot, and wide tyres with the belts showing.  I lost control on the westbound flyover exit of the Tasman Bridge once, did a remarkable impression of a pinball as I bounced from one safety barrier to the other.

I used to wonder at parents who let their L-plate children tool around in a new $80,000 4WD.  Now as a parent who'll have a kid on L plates in 2 years, I know the value of the cargo is worth far more than any car.

[spacesailor]

My mother has been fined for two speed & one redlight camers incidences. 

Yet has never held a licence. & never lost a poi t off her missing licence.  LoL

She just wanted to have her Own vehicle. 

I was stopped at traffic lights ( redlight camera).behind a truck.

When the light turned green , the truck& I both moved forward .

BUT

Due to my limited visability around said truck I never knew why he stopped again , just on the other side of the road, leaving me in the intersection. To be RED LIGHTED..

Next red light in liverpool I stopped for a clear intersection , light still green, when proceeding vehicle  cleared the road infront of me, I started to cross, just as that light went amber, no worries, 

So just dawdled across. AND copped a 0.4 second $ 500  fine, for point bloody four of a second.

spacesailor

[Jerry_Atrick]

OME can comment more accurately than me, but it does seem revenue raising. Though, I guess the line has to be drawn somewhere, and one can always challenge the fine under the circumstances a camera can't see.

[red750]

10 hours ago, spacesailor said:

So just dawdled across. AND copped a 0.4 second $ 500  fine, for point bloody four of a second.

spacesailor

The missus had lost part of her eyesight,and spent most of the day at the Eye and Ear Hospital. She was allowed to go home. At 9.30 pm, the hospital rang to say they had results back and she needed to come straight back. I took her back and on the way had to make a right hand turn at traffic lights. The light flashed and I copped a fine for 0.6 sec in the red. Explained the situtation, but no let-off.

[Bruce Tuncks]

My first 2 cars would be defected today for sure. But there would not be much gains in accident rates, The drivers of the defective cars are only too well aware of their problems and drive accordingly.

One of the most accident-prone cars years ago was the Volvo.   Yep, a real well-off old person's car.

People tend to drive at "constant risk " and they were more likely to take risks in a super-safe Volvo than the rubbish cars I could afford.

[Jerry_Atrick]

A bit like Cirruses when they first came out..

[Old Koreelah]

15 hours ago, spacesailor said:

The " safe  "  traveling distance probably causes more rearender,s then any other Rule.

Every time l leave that Mandated distance,  some dickhead hoon tries to squeeze in the gap !...

Tailgating is rife on our roads and is a major cause of road rage. Yesterday on the highway I watched a moron tucked in behind a semi; his brake lights came on every few seconds and he had no hope of seeing the truck’s mirrors, let alone any dead roos, potholes, retreads, etc. that he was about to drive over.

 

I habitually drive at indicated 104= 100 GPS, yet still get vehicles close enough to my tail to read their bonnet badges. I pull over and let the buggers past.

[facthunter]

That's what the rude buggers expect. That you get out of their way.. Nev

[Yenn]

I still reckon the main cause of accidents is the poor decision making of drivers. How often do you see a car tailgating on a long straight stretch of road, pulling out for a look, then deciding no, then pulling out again and going just as they get to double lines. The driver who insists on driving at the speed limit and is constantly applying and releasing the brakes. At least it is costing him money for fuel and brake wear, but his decision making is useless.

[facthunter]

Don't most these days use Cruise Control. ? That has it's own issues but stops getting pinched for speeding.  Nev

[Bruce Tuncks]

Well old K, that moron was not quite as bad as the one who came out of the mist alongside a truck, on the wrong side of the road. He was so dumb, he couldn't understand that he had done anything wrong. He thought the oncoming car was just bad luck. They did actually collide, but only by a few inches as the smarter driver pulled off to the left. One car lost all its left hand panels, and the perp of course his RH panels. Nobody was injured.

At least the guys you describe have a bit of a look first.

[Old Koreelah]

1 hour ago, Bruce Tuncks said:

At least the guys you describe have a bit of a look first.

Those tailgaters are dopey if they think it makes overtaking easier. You can’t see past. Sitting 50-100m back allow good visibility past a slow vehicle, so you can anticipate a clear spot and get a good run-up. Best of all, the slow driver and anyone behind you has plenty of warning of what you plan.

[spacesailor]

BUT

Thats the problem !.

Leave that much gap & the car behind you jumps into your space. 

Then it slows down to make the gap, you previously had !, to see around the truck.

Then the third car inline overtakes , you & that car infront of you, thats left the nice big gap for HIM.

spacesailor

[Bruce Tuncks]

Yep, I hate that too . Gosh they are stupid huh.

[red750]

I just received my driver's licence renewal notice, due 24 September. This is my first renewal since turning 75 (I turn 78 in October). The information sheet for drivers over 75 advises:

• renewal for 3 years, not 10
• my responsibility to advise any disability, medical condition or injury which may affect my ability to drive. No medical required.
• No compulsory on-road testing
• No new photograph unless my appearance has changed markedly.

 

Renewal fee $85.50.

[facthunter]

The longer the duration the longer they have your money. At any age certain conditions bar you from driving, Certain operations and being under some prescription drugs or being over .05. There's different rules in NSW re age and they have more Vehicle inspections required. I prefer how it operates here on a bang for buck basis. ALL extra cost imposed should have to be justified with  evidence.. Divided roads etc are safer for all.  No issue with that. Nev

[spacesailor]

red750 When you get to 79 they make you do a driving test EVERY year.

BUT when you get to 80 it is every OTHER YEAR !.

I think somethings wrong here .

Also there must be a kickback scheme somewhere as I can take the test with a " driving school " Only $ 199 . ( free at NSW service ).

Ive just done the Eye test, but I won,t know the result till I apply for that test. as it is all done " online " now 

spacesailor

[red750]

Very lax regs in Vic, Spacey. No medical, no road test. The onus is on you to be honest. Just pay over the internet by EFT. Same with rego. Pay by EFT. Get a roadworthy when you are selling. Actually, you can sell without a roadworthy. It's up to the buyer to get a roadworthy to transfer the registration. Lots of secondhand cars listed as no RWC no rego, even by dealers.

[onetrack]

In W.A., there are no more compulsory driving tests when you reach 80 - but you must undertake a Medical Assessment - Fitness to to Drive. The onus is thrown onto the Docs to weed out those people no longer capable of driving safely.

The vast majority are still allowed to drive, but if you have a serious illness such as Dementia, or anything seriously affecting your vision, reflexes or decision-making, then the Docs will stop you from driving.

 

No roadworthy certificates in W.A., the Govt knows how easily they can be rorted - they simply rely on the Police to do constant checks on any vehicles that look suss, that smoke for more than 10 seconds, or on any vehicles they pull up for other offences, such as speeding.

The amount of accidents caused by unsafe vehicles is exceptionally low, less than 1% - it's driver tiredness, carelessness, lack of vehicle control skills, and failure to secure loads properly that causes most of the road accidents.

 

I picked up an old Commer truck in Geelong in 1995 to deliver it to a bloke in Norseman - it had a RWC, but the entire roof panel was rotted through with rust, and it was just held on with duct tape!

It blew right off just West of Ceduna, and I had to pinch some fencing wire, and wire it back into place! I only also found out, the headlights didn't work, when it got dark! That was some trip!

 

https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/road-safety-commission/seniors#:~:text=Once you reach the age,senior driver's licence renewal declaration.

[pmccarthy]

I picked up a SWB Landcruiser in Walhalla and drove it to Melbourne, about 1988. The chassis had been further shortened and it had been used as an explosives truck. Could barely keep it within the two lanes of the Princes Highway at 80KPH.

 

[facthunter]

Would be fun on a wet roundabout. Nev

[Marty_d]

3 hours ago, onetrack said:

In W.A., there are no more compulsory driving tests when you reach 80 - but you must undertake a Medical Assessment - Fitness to to Drive. The onus is thrown onto the Docs to weed out those people no longer capable of driving safely.

The vast majority are still allowed to drive, but if you have a serious illness such as Dementia, or anything seriously affecting your vision, reflexes or decision-making, then the Docs will stop you from driving.

 

No roadworthy certificates in W.A., the Govt knows how easily they can be rorted - they simply rely on the Police to do constant checks on any vehicles that look suss, that smoke for more than 10 seconds, or on any vehicles they pull up for other offences, such as speeding.

The amount of accidents caused by unsafe vehicles is exceptionally low, less than 1% - it's driver tiredness, carelessness, lack of vehicle control skills, and failure to secure loads properly that causes most of the road accidents.

 

I picked up an old Commer truck in Geelong in 1995 to deliver it to a bloke in Norseman - it had a RWC, but the entire roof panel was rotted through with rust, and it was just held on with duct tape!

It blew right off just West of Ceduna, and I had to pinch some fencing wire, and wire it back into place! I only also found out, the headlights didn't work, when it got dark! That was some trip!

 

https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/road-safety-commission/seniors#:~:text=Once you reach the age,senior driver's licence renewal declaration.

Same in Tassie, no RWC.  Let's face it, breakdowns don't cause many accidents in comparison with speeding and drink driving.  Cops still ping you for non functioning lights etc.

[facthunter]

In Melbourne proper, Plenty of drivers don't get to put their lights on at all. You can see by the street lights. Nev

[Yenn]

So you think things may be lax in Vic and NSW. Here in Qld we have already had more deaths on the road this year, than all of last year. Over 75s have to have an annual medical.

Surely if Qld has more medicals it should be safer than other states that don't.