Revised NSW road rules will heavily penalise drivers caught using their phone
Come September 2018, you’ll cop more demerits
In a bid to make Australian roads safer, the New South Wales government is introducing tougher laws to crackdown on motorists driving under the influence of drugs and those caught using mobile phones while behind the wheel.
In addition to installing new tech in traffic cameras that automatically detect phones, NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey has announced that, from September this year, drivers will cop five demerit points for the illegal use of mobile phones while on the road. Drivers are allowed to us their phones for calls, music and navigation only, if the device is on a cradle. However, learner, P1 and P2 drivers aren’t allowed to use a phone at all.
Along with the addition of stringent rules for phone use while driving, the NSW government is introducing legislation to Parliament to broaden the definition of “drug use” to encompass “a broad range of new and emerging drugs”, which will include both illicit and prescription drugs.
The state government is also planning to introduce changes to the Opioid Treatment Program which could force doctors to report patients to the Driver Licensing Authority if there are any concerns about their ability to drive while under the influence of prescription drugs.
An advertising campaign will be launched to inform the public about the impact of prescription medication on drivers.
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While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, Sharmishta's main priority is being TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor, looking after the day-to-day functioning of the Australian, New Zealand and Singapore editions of the site, steering everything from news and reviews to ecommerce content like deals and coupon codes. While she loves reviewing cameras and lenses when she can, she's also an avid reader and has become quite the expert on ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about these underrated devices. Other than her duties at TechRadar, she's also the Managing Editor of the Australian edition of Digital Camera World, and writes for Tom's Guide and T3.