Illegal manoeuvres ranked more dangerous than speeding

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By Brett Davis | October 19th, 2010

Recent statistics to come out of Gold Coast transport have revealed drink driving as the most common killer on the road while illegal manoeuvres came in second, leaving speed as third-highest contributor to the road toll.

A recent goldcoast.com.au report outlined statistics gathered from September 2009 to August 2010 which revealed five people died on the roads due to alcohol-related accidents in the Gold Coast area, while four died due to disobeying seemingly-innocent manoeuvre-related road rules. These included things like illegal U-turns and failing to indicate.

Two people died during that same period due to speeding-related incidents, half that of those who couldn’t follow basic road rules. General manager of external relations for the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ), Paul Turner, said in the goldcoast.com.au report,

“Whether you like it or not, signs saying no U-turn and double white lines are there for reasons built around safety.”

Turner also said many drivers are unaware of new road rules and perhaps road users should undertake a refresher driving test to become more educated on the updated rules.

Coomera District Traffic Branch Acting Senior-Sergeant, Greg Newman, remembered a motorbike rider who died in February after trying to overtake a motorist illegally on the left-hand side, he said,

“He overtook on the inside too fast, lost control and ended up on the wrong side of the road, straight into an oncoming vehicle. That’s the sort of behaviour we’re seeing, people are just putting themselves at unnecessary risk.”

Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland spokesman, David Soole, also pointed out that the more motorists got away with performing simple illegal manoeuvres, the more it provided them with a false sense of safety and general secure attitude toward the behaviour.

So even though speed is easy to blame for the majority of road accidents, it seems it’s not always the number one cause to fatalities our roads. Either that or the bunch new speed detection cameras and campaigns to recently come out are actually working, effectively reducing the number of speeders out there.

http://www.caradvice.com.au It’s true

If qld transport would do something first on the list Enforce right lane for over taking only . not sitting there asleep doing 90 on gateway. and when i try to overtake them on the left they speed up . please do something be4 i kill someone just to prove a point.
ABMPSV

Should here like in Germany trucks and slow moving vehicles inside lane only!

http://www.caradvice.com.au Anthony Crawford

That’s correct, trucks using any lane but the right lane, are committing a criminal offense in Germany. How would the German authorities like it over here where you often get 3 trucks in 3 lanes – it boggles the common sense mind.

Shak

Exactly, in Australia it is simply a rule&regulation as stipulated by most of our Police departments, because their excuse is that there aren’t enough officers to enforce it. Simple solution: Use of beloved SAFETY CAMERAS to fine motorists who don’t use the road properly, that way the government is kept happy with increased revenue, and we make the roads safer by implementing proper road etiquette.

xnov

“Whether you like it or not, signs saying no U-turn and double white lines are there for reasons built around safety.”

The double white line is bad , we need yellow double lines !!!

The Oracle

@ Anthony Crawford
“Whether you like it or not, signs saying no U-turn and double white lines are there for reasons built around safety.”

You would agree with that general sentiment, I’m sure, except for No Stopping signs of course! You can do what you like then, can’t you?

anthony

this has been obvious since cars started rolling around this world. poor driving is far more dangerous… i will never complain about drivers in australia again after driving some 30,000 odd interstate and city driving in America where the quality of drivers is far worse. not indicating is a big one
Eric

Maybe a quick refresher/test every 5 years when we renew our D/L and a road test every 10 years, might help.
anthony

i think they need better training from the get go. a driver ed course in schools would be a great start with a defensive driving course part of the exam…….. a trip to the alfreds trauma and IC unites to see the reality of poor driving wouldnt be to bad either.
Jimmy

I can’t believe the Qld State Government road safety expenditure budget doesn’t include more advertising to deter dangerous driving and road rule ignorance. Just about every accident or near miss I’ve been involved in has been due to the other vehicle ignoring road rules and displaying bad driving behaviour, not speeding or drink driving. Drink driving and speeding are serious issues of course, but they are focussed on too much while basic bad driving never warrants a mention as the gov’t is too busy in its speeding and drink driving crusade.
Wayne kerr

I’d also like how Germany has banned cyclists in all major highways. Anyone who driving on south dowling rd in Sydney will know why it’s important. Cycles taking up 2 lanes doing 50km/h.

A guy got fed up and breaker in front of them causing a 20 bike pile up. Respect.

Jimmy

Respect? That’s assault with a deadly weapon. A doctor in LA was recently jailed for 5 years for doing exactly that. If you think that is something admirable then you are a complete fool. Condoning this sort of behaviour on a motoring website is plain irresponsible.

I commute by bike to work and I agree however that separating cyclists from cars on main roads is something that should happen. Until that becomes common practice with more infrastructure provided to cyclists however, we all have to share the roads respectfully.
The Oracle

Your name says it all if you think that is a good thing to do.
Luke Skywalker

Here’s a great example of why we need driver education!

Wayne Kerr? Yes, you are.
Wayne Kerr

Sometimes one needs to vent his frustration with a cold hearted joke.

Trouble with Australian roads is that often different vehicles don’t get along. So the lane and road restrictions for various vehicles should improve safety here like they do in Germany.

laurie

Slow speed also causes accidents its not speeding as such but the wrong speed for the conditions when driving

laurie
Arky

I don’t disagree with the premise, and I’d like to see these statistics for an entire state. But an article based on a sample of 10 road deaths is meaningless.
t39

Here, in ACT, half the drivers merge onto 100-110km/h freeways at 60km/h. The other half hopes to go faster by tailgating the first half at about 2m away from their rear bumper.
Robbo

I’m sure that the drivers even peforming these illegal manouvers have no idea that they are illegal. Some don’t even seem to know that they have to stay in one lane.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1435885244 Yani Hendriawan

well i have to admit i do illegal manouvers. sometimes it says turn left only but i don’t want to cause it takes longer to get where i want to get, and the odd u turn here and there
Fenno

“Turner also said many drivers are unaware of new road rules and perhaps road users should undertake a refresher driving test to become more educated on the updated rules.”

TORUMS (the official acronym for the Road Rules act)is constantly being updated. Very rarely do you see the changes advertised anywhere.

How hard would it be to pop in a supplement with every registration renewal notice advising motorists of changes to the rules?

But why would our government be proactive? That’s silly logic and the constitution does say ignorance of the law is no excuse….
gearboxdawg

What is more dangerous is having to press the brakes hard for some idiot doing a U turn on a exit turning lane for the opposite traffic. The turning lane is for the other side of the road not for you to make a U turn. Go to the next turn lane to do a U.
Yonny

No no, this MUST be wrong. The RTA says speeding is the number 1 cause of deaths on the road – they wouldn’t lie, would they, just to justify all the speed cameras?

crownleyian

Yes true!
That’s why erveryone in motor sports is dead….

RTA = Retarded Transportation Analists

Luke Skywalker

Apparently, here in WA, doing a U-turn at lights is illegal unless there is a sign specifically permitting it (unlike other states where it is legal unless specifically barred). I found this out to my own expense last month when 2 coppers jumped out from their hiding place when I did a U-turn. Seems strange to me that each state would have separate laws on these sort of things, it means that if you travel interstate, you’d better know the differences!

The Oracle

Actually, from my recollection, it is only Victoria that allows you to chuck a uey at the lights, unless it specifically says not to. You certainly can’t do it in NSW, unless there is a sign that explicity says U turns are permitted and they are pretty rare.
You are right about the problems with different laws in the various states. They have been talking for years about making them all uniform, but there is still some way to go with it.

Reckless1

Ferntree Gully Rd, Notting Hill.

No U-Turn after 9pm, before 9PM U-Turn is allowed.

I’ve been trying to figure out what the danger after 9pm is, when the traffic is all but non-existent, compared to lunch time when the traffic is heavy.

Needless to say, that one gets ignored all the time.
Shak

Another quiet laughable matter is that the Cops constantly get asked why it is okay for them to speed. Simple answer: We have been trained for it. YOU DONT SAY. Why not give other drivers some training. Then we would all be able to drive properly, and make their job a whole lot easier. By our cops standards, a 17 year old from Germany could be a highway patrol officer in our country.
Save It for the track

Authorities should post changes out with rego or licence renewals ?? Or how about for those that actually have internet access take the time to look it up themselves. (or maybe even the odd CAR based website could post some info…?) Or, here’s an idea, ANY driver could drag their sorry behind into their states RTA, VicRoads etc. and pick uo the latest brochures that tend to be put out when changes occur. OR if no internet access at home go to an internet cafe or kiosk or even a public library there are no excuses.
.
I have found it amusing that when I book someone for an illegal turn or not indicating, or driving over lines, or not keeping left(rare because of the proof required) they usually crack out, “but i wasn’t speeding”, or of course the old “go catch a real criminal”. Like anyone could say anything I haven’t already heard.
.
U-turns at traffic lights are illegal in ALL states except Victoria. There are a few intersections in Metro Sydney, and some other smaller towns or large ecntres that have a few intersections with reminder signs on them, and I have noticed that in Qld they tend to put up reminders as well. But no one should be confused, especially in NSW. and as for Victorians driving elsewhere, it’s up to you to know the rules of teh otehr states. It’s like driving in Europe, the US or even New Zealand (who have a strange give way rule), if you are going to drive, know the rules. Dont know the rules, or don’t want to follow them… DON’T DRIVE.