Latest news with #learnerdriver
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Aussie L-plater's surprise response after copping $1,689 fine and losing licence
A learner driver has copped a $1689 fine and been banned from the road for three months after he was allegedly caught driving unsupervised, and with methamphetamine and cannabis in his system. As police ramp up their road safety efforts these school holidays in New South Wales, officers say numerous examples have emerged of drivers flouting the law. At about 7.20am on Monday, Highway Patrol were conducting inspections at Tharbogang, in the state's Riverina region, when they stopped a silver Nissan sedan being driven by a 25-year-old man. The man was asked to produce his licence and was subjected to drug and alcohol testing. Officers quickly determined that he was unsupervised, and then he allegedly returned positive results for both meth and marijuana. When confronted with the penalty, he simply asked in return: "Can I still get my Ps?" The man's learner's licence was immediately suspended for three months, with several infringement notices handed down, totalling a combined $1,689. "Formal action will be taken against the driver in relation to the illicit drugs present in his system when the oral fluid sample obtained is analysed," NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said on Tuesday. It comes as police repeat their plea to motorists out on the roads these school holidays, a period known for higher-than-average incidents of road trauma. According to NSW Police, 20 per cent of fatal or serious crashes occur during school holiday periods. The NSW winter public school holidays began on Monday, July 7 and conclude on Friday, July 18. In the July holidays last year, eight people lost their lives in fatal crashes — the same number of deaths were recorded for the same period in 2023. Major street change avalanche of new car models set to hit Australian market Aussie council responds after local left stunned by $1,000 fine Calls for road rule change as more Aussie cities reduce urban speed limits So far this year, 190 lives have been lost, up a staggering 29 more deaths from last year. Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner David Driver, said the July school holidays are a time when "weather conditions could contribute" to serious accidents. "Drivers need to be aware of the risks when travelling in wet and snowing conditions, with black ice a serious hazard on our roads at this time of year," he said. "Our data shows one in five serious or fatal crashes happen in the school holidays. We also know that about two-thirds of fatal crashes occur on regional areas. Take extra care, reduce your speed, and remain focused so you and your family can arrive at your destination safely. "As always, don't speed, wear a seatbelt, never drive when tired, do not use a mobile phone while driving and never drive if affected by drugs or alcohol." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
Learner driver allegedly caught breaking four road rules at once
A learner driver has had his licence suspended after he was allegedly caught breaking four rules at once on Queensland's most dangerous highway. The 31-year-old man was spotted at around 10.30pm on Sunday night by officers who alleged that he was driving at 123km/h in an 80km/h zone on the Bruce Highway in Cairns. When officers approached the car to question the alleged speeding, things quickly took a turn for the worse. Police allege there were no L-plates on display, and claim the supervisor in the passenger seat had a disqualified licence. In Queensland, learner drivers must be accompanied by a driver with an open licence for the same type of vehicle that is being driven. They need to have had that licence for at least one year. The driver was then subjected to a roadside breath test, where police allege it returned a positive result and was later recorded as a BAC of 0.207 per cent. Learner drivers must have a BAC of zero. The man's licence was suspended and he was hit with four charges: Disobeying the speed limit, did drive under the influence of liquor, learning to drive must be properly supervised-motor vehicles other than motorbikes, and learner must not drive motor vehicle unless L plates displayed and clearly legible. He's due to face Cairns Magistrates Court on July 8. The Bruce Highway, which stretches from Cairns to Brisbane, is home to all of the state's top five crash sites. It's ranked third in Australia's most crash-prone roads. Earlier this month, another L-plater was hit with a whopping $1,775 in fines and 22 demerit points after getting pulled over for speeding on the Hume Highway near Penrose in NSW. The male driver was caught driving 39km/h over the speed limit, while also using his phone and not displaying L-plates. The incident took place on the June long weekend, while double demerits were in force, leaving him automatically suspended from driving with a pending extension from NSW Transport. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Yahoo
Warning to Aussies as one driver cops 22 demerit points in one go
NSW Traffic and Highway Patrol are holding the driver up as an example after he was caught doing 129 km/h on the Hume Highway. Aussie drivers are being reminded to follow the road rules after an L Plater copped a whopping 22 demerit points in one hit. New South Wales Traffic and Highway Patrol are holding the driver up as an example after he was caught doing 129 kilometres per hour on the Hume Highway. The learner driver was also not displaying yellow L plates on his car and had a mobile phone playing a YouTube video positioned near the steering wheel. When police questioned the A passenger about her role as a supervisor, she claimed she was asleep. The offences resulted in numerous fines totaling $1,775.22 demerit points. However, because learner drivers can only accumulate a maximum of 4 demerit points, he was automatically suspended from driving with a pending extension from New South Wales Transport. The female passenger also copped a penalty infringement for failing to supervise.
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Instant karma! Moment raging motorist speeds past learner with crazy overtake - only to drive straight into the hands of armed police
Armed police intercepted an inconsiderate driver who dangerously overtook a learner driver at high speed in a 20 mph zone on the Isle of Wight. The incident, captured on dashcam, took place on Wednesday 28 May, at 3.40pm on Wellington Road in Newport, close to a primary school and nursery. The clip begins with the learner driver approaching a zebra crossing, while a black Volkswagen T-Cross approaches behind. As the learner driver passes the crossing and begins to manoeuvre around a parked vehicle, the reckless driver speeds past them, overtaking dangerously. The driving instructor sounded the horn to warn others of the danger, but the reckless driver responded by sticking his arm out of the window and making an obscene hand gesture. Unfortunately for the reckless driver, he experiences instant karma as a police officer suddenly appears out of nowhere and signals for him to pull over. A second officer, visibly armed with a taser and handgun, approaches to speak with instructor Darren and his pupil. Darren asked: 'Did you see that?' The officer replied: 'I didn't, but my colleague did and he's pretty upset.' He took a business card and added, 'I'm going to support my colleague, as I have a feeling we're about to deal with an upset man.' The officer walks over to join his colleague, and the lesson resumes. As they pass by, Darren shouts, 'Well done, mate!' and claps his hands in approval. Speaking today driving instructor Darren Willett, 55, said: 'I'm pleased with the outcome. 'Previously I've reported incidents like this and nothing has come of it, so it's great on this occasion the police witnessed it first hand and dealt with it there and then.' Edmund King, AA president said: 'All drivers should remember that they were once learners and therefore should be more considerate when they see an L plate. 'Learner or not, this was reckless driving and the aggressor got what he deserved. This is a reminder to all - don't chance it as you never know what is down the road.' A spokesman for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said: 'At about 3.45pm on 28 May, officers dealing with an unrelated incident on Wellington Road, Newport, witnessed the driver of a black Volkswagen overtake a learner driver on a bend, at speed while beeping their horn and gesticulating. 'The officers immediately stopped the driver and issued him a ticket at the roadside for driving without due care and attention. 'This means three points and a £100 fine.' At the time, officers were handling a separate incident involving a man who had been stopped for riding an electric motorbike on a footpath. The 21-year-old was arrested on suspicion of multiple offenses, including drug driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance or a license, and possession of drugs.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How much does it cost to become a driver in the UK?
It's 90 years since the driving test became compulsory in the UK. Back then it cost just 37.5p to sit the test, and around two thirds of people passed. Now it costs £23 for the theory test, £62 for a practical test on a weekday and £75 at the weekend — and fewer than half of people pass. But the cost of multiple tests is far from the only cost of getting on the road. It starts pretty cheaply, with £34 for the provisional licence, but then the costs start mounting. On average you need 45 hours of driving lessons and 22 hours of practice before you're prepared for your practical test. Assuming you know somebody who is prepared to take you out, 45 hours of lessons at a typical cost of £45 will set you back £2,025. If you need more lessons or they're pricier in your area, it'll cost even more than that. Once you've passed, you need to buy the car. On average people's first cars cost £5,500. Then there's insurance — the cheapest models can be covered for about £1,500, but beware, because you can easily find yourself facing a bill of around £2,500 for something that doesn't feel particularly fast or risky. Read more: How getting ahead on your tax return can help cut your tax bill Add on £195 for the standard rate of car tax, and before you've driven a single mile — and accounted for petrol, servicing and the MOT — it will have set you back £10,352. It means you need to consider how to cut the costs. These are in such high demand that there's not much haggling to be had, but check whether you can get a discount for block bookings. It's also worth considering the balance of official lessons and private practice. If you have a friend or relative who is a calm and confident driver, they may be prepared to take you out more in order to save on lessons. There are a variety of techniques that can help you negotiate a good deal when buying a second-hand car. Research the going rate before you start, so you know what's reasonable. Check the car's condition — if there are dings and scratches you can use this as leverage for a lower cost. Consider the deal you'll accept, and be prepared to walk away if they won't go low enough. If you get within touching distance of what you consider to be fair, you can ask for them to throw in a service or MOT to make up the difference. Picking the right car is key, so take the time to check what it'll cost to insure before you buy. There's no point picking up a bargain that costs thousands of pounds extra every year in insurance. Check if you can save money by adding a second named driver. This is very different from insuring it in someone else's name and adding yourself second — that's called fronting and is illegal. Putting an older and more experienced person on the insurance as a second driver can still shave hundreds or even thousands of pounds off the cost. Including it in a multi-car policy with other reliable drivers in the same household can also help. You could also consider a telematics policy, where you have a "black box" in the car monitoring your driving. If you drive carefully at safer times of day this can lower your costs — although riskier driving could see your premiums rise significantly — and you could even have the policy more: Real cost of a 2025 summer holiday as families priced out or fined How to tell if you're rich Who wears the financial trousers in your relationship?Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
