New South Wales

Motorists travelling to regional areas are being warned to stay vigilant on the roads ahead of a predicted 15 per cent rise in animal collisions from May to August this year, with a major Australian insurance company issuing a warning about "hotspots" for incidents involving animals and cars.

There is widespread confusion about what constitutes "non-essential travel" during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown period, after a young Victorian learner driver was fined for embarking on a driving lesson with her mother, only to have the fine withdrawn days later. Hunter Reynolds, a 17-year-older learner driver from Victoria, made headlines when she was penalised $1652 by Victoria Police for taking a drive around Melbourne with her mother serving as supervising driver.

The New South Wales government has announced a new plan to fast-track electric car uptake by supporting the rollout of fast-charging infrastructure, incentivising fleet purchases of electric cars and ensuring all new buildings are electric vehicle-ready. The new measures, which were unveiled on March 14, 2020, as part of the first stage in the Berejiklian government's 10-year Net Zero Plan, will contribute to the state's ultimate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

The number of people killed on Australian roads rose again in 2019, with the national road toll finishing at 1182. Victoria had a horror year on the roads, with 50 more lives lost than the year before, while South Australia saw its death toll rise by 33. The road toll also increased in New South Wales and Western Australia, while the remaining states and territories had fewer deaths on their roads. In total, 1182 people died on the road in Australia last year – up 47 on 2018.

Motorists in NSW can now download a digital copy of their licence and it will be deemed a legal form of identification on the roadside and to get into pubs and clubs. However, there are some handy tips worth knowing so you don’t end up with a fine. For starters, the display on your phone can’t be obscured by a cracked screen – and if your phone battery is flat you still need to produce a physical licence.