Latest news with #RoyalAutomobileClubofVictoria
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Millions of Aussie drivers warned of road rule change with $961 fines just days away
Millions of drivers in Australia are being reminded of a significant road rule change officially coming into effect from Tuesday, with penalties for breaking the law as high as $961. From July 1, Victorians are legally required to slow down to 40 kilometres an hour when they pass incident response vehicles that display lights of any colour. The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) is reminding the public of the change, first announced in April, which aims to make work much safer for the thousands of roadside assistance staff across the country. Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, RACV General Manager Automotive Services, Makarla Cole, said around 17 per cent of RACV emergency roadside assistance callouts are to roads where the speed limit exceeds 100 km/h, making the introduction of this new law particularly timely. "The change to road rule 79A is an important one to RACV because we've campaigned for a long time to improve the safety of working conditions for our emergency roadside assistance patrols, as well as our RACV members, who are assisting on our roads," she said. In March 2024, RACV surveyed its emergency roadside assistance patrols to gauge how safe they feel while working on Victorian roads. "RACV's patrols rated 'vehicles not slowing down' as the most common unsafe behaviour that they experience when working on the roads," Cole said. She said that 'no or insufficient emergency lanes' was another issue, highlighting the need to slow down in dangerous situations. "100 per cent of respondents told RACV that they believe reducing the speed limit to 40 km/h when passing a roadside assistance vehicle would make their workplace safer," Cole said. Since 2017, Victorian drivers have been required to slow down to 40 km/h when passing stationary emergency vehicles displaying red or blue flashing lights. That rule has now been expanded to include a broader range of roadside responders. Drivers must also slow down when approaching stationary accident towing vehicles, breakdown towing services, roadside assistance operators, and incident response vehicles operating on Peninsula Link, EastLink, and Transurban-managed roads. The move follows South Australia, which adopted a similar law earlier this year. It's part of a sweeping set of road rule changes to be implemented across the country from July 1, as authorities look to tackle the rising number of deaths and injuries on our roads, which has been on a steady incline in recent years. RACV said emergency roadside assistance patrols help over 820,000 Victorians annually. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
New York Post
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- New York Post
Experts warn against Gen Z's newest car 'hack'
Experts are shutting down another popular Gen Z trend which has gone wild on TikTok. Gen Z-ers are going viral turning their Apple CarPlay pink. However, what may seem like a harmless trend on the surface is ultimately being called an unnecessary distraction, which could result in trouble for young drivers. 3 Aussie creator @livingwithtay_ shared how to turn your Apple CarPlay pink. TikTok/@paigemoyerrr Is the aesthetic really worth it? Gen Z-ers have been going viral on TikTok turning their Apple CarPlay screens pink. According to Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, the trend has seen searches for 'pink CarPlay' skyrocket 1,061% globally over the past year and 177% over the past month. Aussie creator @livingwithtay_ shared how to do it in a video just this week, accumulating over 150 000 views. 'You're going to go into your settings, then you're going to check that your appearance is on automatic. Go back [into setting], hit into wallpaper and select your color of choice,' she explains. 'Then you go back, into accessibility, check to make sure your color filter is on, then select Red/Green, and it will make the change for you. 'Is that not the cutest thing?' 'This will become a critical issue' However, while the screen may look more aesthetically pleasing, experts are saying that it might be more detrimental than you would think. The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria's (RACV) Head of Policy James Williams hoped to remind Gen Z-ers that a car's factory settings are not to be messed with, putting drivers at risk of confusion and additional distraction. 3 However, while the screen may look more aesthetically pleasing, experts are saying that it might be more detrimental than you would think. TikTok/@paigemoyerrr 'RACV does not recommend changing a car's inbuilt display factory settings, including the color scheme, as this could lead to increased driver distraction,' he told Kidspot. 'As infotainment systems become more complex and more functions are available to be used while driving, this will become a critical issue. 'RACV urges motorists to remember that the car is not an entertainment platform, but a vehicle that requires focus and concentration to be driven safely.' A car's color filters and Red/Green settings are intended to be used by those who are color blind, specifically where individuals cannot perceive red light. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! This means specific settings may be altered in a way that would be difficult for those changing settings for aesthetic reasons to make out in an emergency situation. Transport for NSW agreed with the sentiment, while noting that the exception would be changing your car's display to a less distracting color where necessary. 'If the background on your car's display is distracting – like a bright, flashy color – drivers should change it to something that helps them stay focused,' a spokesperson told Kidspot. Don't touch it! RACV also reminded drivers that using distractions – like Apple CarPlay – while driving is also not recommended in general. 3 Transport for NSW agreed with the sentiment, while noting that the exception would be changing your car's display to a less distracting color where necessary. AFP via Getty Images 'In Victoria, new driver distraction rules were introduced in 2023 around use of mobile phones and other devices with the aim to reduce road trauma by addressing dangers of distracted driving,' James said. 'The principles underpinning the rules remain the same: don't touch your unmounted or wearable device while you're driving or riding.' In some states, like New South Wales, using a mobile phone while driving is completely illegal for Learner, P1 and P2 drivers, whether it's handheld, in a phone holder, or via Bluetooth – including Apple CarPlay. According to Transport for NSW, if you are caught using your phone illegally, you may be fined $410 and receive 5 demerit points. This increases to $544 if the offense occurs in a school zone. During double demerit periods, the penalty increases to 10 demerit points for illegal mobile phone use.
