Latest news with #roadSafety
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Millions of drivers warned over two week 'cold snap' blitz as fines jump to $1250
Millions of motorists are being warned to stick to the road rules as families head out to enjoy the school holidays and authorities seek to crack down on dangerous and tired driving. Queensland police are warning they'll be out in force for the next two weeks in a "highly visible and proactive" operation dubbed X-Ray Cold Snap. The statewide road safety campaign will run until Sunday 13 July when the school holidays comes to an end in the state with police particularly keen to ensure drivers embarking on long trips take precautions. "Fatigue is a really considerable factor across holiday periods, usually where families travel long distances across unusual roadways and destinations," Acting Chief Superintendent Garrath Channells said. "The state of Queensland is obviously quite large, and you can travel for extended periods of time. I would just ask anyone that is traveling long distance, particularly on unusual roadways, to drive to the conditions always and take time to stop and rest if you're exceeding two hours of driving, so that you're managing fatigue, and if possible, swap drivers and share the load." So far this year, there has been 136 road fatalities on the state's roads, that's 7.8 per cent higher than the previous five-year average for the same period. "And we've had thousands of serious injuries that could be lifelong, traumatic events like a spinal cord injury that that person then has to live with for the rest of their lives, and the family have to provide support for the rest of that time," Superintendent Channells said. "Poor decision making in a split second can have tragic and traumatic outcomes." Drivers warned of road rule change with $961 fines just days away Controversial road rule change to impact a million Aussies from July Drivers erupt at council's 'embarrassing' new roundabout The winter school holidays are traditionally one of the busiest periods on Queensland roads with police ramping up their presence from today. The blitz will also coincide with a planned jump in the price of fines for drivers caught doing the wrong thing. From Tuesday, July 1, motorists caught using their phone behind the wheel or not wearing a seatbelt will cop a whopping $1,250 fine. A similarly expensive hit to the hip pocket will come for drivers exceeding the speed limit by 30km/h. The fine hikes are the result of a scheduled increase in the value of a penalty unit. While Queensland has by far the toughest financial penalties for drivers, other states also enforce yearly increases in the cost of road fines. The situation in Queensland reflects a larger, alarming trend. Last year, 1,300 people died on Australian roads — the highest toll since 2012. It's part of a four-year rise in deaths not seen since before seatbelts became mandatory in the 1960s. The final three months of 2024 alone saw 359 lives lost — the deadliest quarter in more than a decade. Road safety advocate Peter Frazer OAM, whose daughter was killed by a distracted driver, said the problem goes beyond driver error and argues we have a cultural issue when it comes to not taking road safety seriously enough. "The very first thing that we need to do is to flip everything on its head and start dealing with the reality of risk on our roads," he told Yahoo News Australia recently. "We've got to have our governments start doing much more active enforcement, both police enforcement and also automated enforcement, which we can do immediately." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Updated 'Move Over Law' goes into effect on South Dakota roads on July 1
Jun. 27—PIERRE — A newly updated 'Move Over' law goes into effect across South Dakota on July 1, 2025, expanding protections for authorized vehicles occupying the shoulder of the highway with amber, yellow, or blue warning lights. The expanded law now requires drivers to take action when approaching any vehicle displaying flashing amber, yellow, or blue lights — not just law enforcement or emergency responders. This includes tow trucks, highway maintenance vehicles, utility crews, and Department of Transportation equipment using proper hazard lighting while on the shoulder. "These are real people — moms, dads, sons, and daughters — working hard or handling emergencies at the roadside," said South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Colonel Casey Collins in a news release. The law requires drivers to do the following: * On multi-lane highways, move into the lane farthest away from the stopped vehicle, when it's safe to do so, and pass with caution. * On two-lane roads, slow down at least 300 feet in advance, and reduce speed: to 20 mph below the posted limit, or to 5 mph if the speed limit is 20 mph or less. Violations are a Class 2 misdemeanor, carrying a minimum fine of $270. If a crash occurs because of a violation, the offense becomes a Class 1 misdemeanor, which comes with steeper penalties. "The bottom line is this: If you see flashing lights, slow down, move over, and give extra space," Collins said. "Whether it's a trooper conducting a stop, a worker fixing a guardrail, or a DOT vehicle on the shoulder, they all deserve to go home safely."
CTV News
15 hours ago
- CTV News
5 Toronto speed cameras vandalized this week, police say
Toronto City Councillor Anthony Perruzza says speed cameras are not changing the behaviour of drivers and wants to see more visible markings in school zones. Toronto City Councillor Anthony Perruzza says speed cameras are not changing the behaviour of drivers and wants to see more visible markings in school zones. Five of Toronto's Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras were vandalized since Tuesday, police said on Thursday, as city councillors debated how to improve the program and make it 'fairer' for drivers. The latest incidents happened at five locations — including Sheppard Avenue East west of Don Mills Road, The East Mall near Faludon Court, Pharmacy Avenue near Sherwood and Galworthy Avenues, and McCowan Road south of Sandhurst Circle, Toronto police confirmed to CTV News Toronto. The city said in a statement that it 'is aware that several pole-mounted Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras were vandalized in recent days and is working with its vendor on solutions to prevent future incidents of vandalism.' The city added that tampering with or damaging the devices would allow dangerous speeding to continue and undermine the safety of all road users. News of the vandalism came on the same day that Humber River–Black Creek Coun. Anthony Perruzza announced his intention to ask city council to temporarily halt issuing tickets from the city's cameras while staff review the program. Earlier this month, Vaughan announced it would suspend its own camera enforcement program until at least September, just months after it began issuing tickets. It said that the decision was made in response to rollout concerns from residents and an influx of calls related to people disputing tickets. In Toronto, where the number of speed cameras doubled to 150 earlier this year, the program has drawn repeated vandalism and generated roughly $40 million in fines last year. 'These cameras are becoming speed traps that have no meaningful impact on slowing down communities,' Perruzza told CP24 on Thursday morning. 'Often, drivers are unaware that this camera exists here, and responsible drivers are ticketed despite traveling at speeds close to the posted limits. I'm hearing from many residents that they feel unfairly penalized.' However, during Thursday evening's council meeting, Perruzza moved a different motion asking council to instead direct staff to review the issuance of penalties and work with the processing centre to 'to ensure tickets are dispensed fairly and clearly.' His motion was defeated. Mayor's motion passes Meanwhile, Mayor Olivia Chow introduced a motion that she said was aimed at making the ASE program 'fairer for drivers.' Her motion, which was approved, will direct staff to install larger, more visible and clearer signs where the cameras are deployed. 'Frankly, we don't want speed cameras to issue any tickets at all. The goal is to keep our roads safe and ensure people follow speed limits, especially in community safety zones which are near schools,' Chow said in a statement. Her motion will also request staff to prioritize projects that improve safety in school and community zones when allocating funds generated by the ASE program. Toronto's speed enforcement program was launched in 2020 under former Mayor John Tory and has grown significantly in scope since then, with three times as many cameras. Councillor Anthony Perruzza says speed cameras have become 'speed traps' As part of the program, cameras are rotated through Community Safety As part of the program, cameras are rotated through Community Safety Zones and signage is posted to alert drivers to the presence of the cameras. A study conducted by researchers with The Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 found that there has been an overall 45 per cent reduction in the proportion of drivers exceeding the speed limit in areas where the cameras are operational. City officials have also pointed out that the program is intended to change driver behaviour over time and is not about generating revenue. Perruzza has disputed whether it is accomplishing that goal. 'What we really want people to do is slow down, be more cognizant of their environment,' he told CP24 Thursday morning. 'You want to change behavior and the way the cameras are out there now; it's not doing that.' He argued that too many cameras operate with little warning or visibility. It should be noted that under provincial legislation, signage warning drivers about the presence of cameras in a new location must go up 90 days before they can begin issuing tickets. 'We need to have visible markings. People need to know that this is a school zone, that there is a camera here, and that if you exceed the posted speed limit, you are going to get a fine. But it needs to be clear. It needs to be visible,' he said. The ASE program has also faced its share of challenges. One notable location at Parkside drive, issued roughly 66,000 tickets since 2022. But it's been cut down numerous times in recent months, adding to the city's ongoing fight against vandals. Parkside Drive speed camera A damaged Parkside Drive speed camera is pictured in Toronto on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (CP24) Already, the city has logged more than 325 vandalism incidents involving its ASE cameras in 2025. John Tory defends the program Former mayor John Tory, speaking on NewsTalk 1010 Thursday morning, defended the cameras' role in making streets safer. 'I launched this program because of the incredible number of deaths and serious injuries that resulted from speeding,' he said. John Tory doesn't have plans to run for Toronto mayor, but says he has 'a lot to think about' John Tory doesn't have plans to run for Toronto mayor, but says he has 'a lot to think about' 'I said at the time, and I would say it again today, I don't care if those cameras take in one cent of revenue. The notion this is some kind of revenue grab is ridiculous, because the only thing that triggers a fine to be paid is if somebody speeds.' Meanwhile, Barbara Gray, Toronto's general manager of transportation services, told reporters the program is a 'critical piece' of the Vision Zero (program). 'The automated speed enforcement program is a critical piece of Vision Zero. People get killed and seriously injured related to speed,' she said. 'Automated enforcement gives us a much broader reach city wide to remind people that speeding is not what they need to be doing.' 'In my mind, our complement of speed enforcement cameras and red light cameras is exactly where it needs to be.' Flexibility versus enforcement Coun. Shelley Carroll, representing Don Valley North, said the program was never intended to be about making money. 'People talk about flexibility. Well, this isn't meant to be a cash grab. It's meant to change behavior, which means the amount of revenue from it should be going down every year as well, and we'd be happy to have it going down,' Carroll said. 'But if you want to add flexibility, if you want to add technology for every add to the program to make everyone perfectly happy, you're adding a need for human resources to run the program.' Since 2016, the city has gradually increased its investment in Vision Zero to support its road safety efforts. The 2025 council-approved budget of $99.1 million — $31.7 million in capital and $67.4 million in operating — marking the largest annual investment for the program since its launch.
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Woman in her 70s dies after crash with truck on A316 near Burford
A woman in her 70s was killed when her Range Rover was involved in a crash with a recovery crash at about 15:20 BST on Thursday resulted in the closure of the A361 near Burford, Oxfordshire, but it has since Range Rover's driver, from Oxfordshire, was given emergency medical treatment but she died at the recovery truck's driver, a man in his 20s, who is also from Oxfordshire, was taken to hospital and remains in a serious condition. PC Harry Welch, from Thames Valley Police, asked anyone who saw the crash to contact officers. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
17 hours ago
- BBC News
Woman on A449 to Ledbury dies in three-vehicle crash
A motorcyclist has been killed in a three-vehicle crash, leading to a teenager's arrest on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. It happened on Thursday at about 21:30 BST on the A449 close to Chances Pitch and Colwall on the Herefordshire and Worcestershire rider, a woman in her 50s, was travelling on a black Kawasaki motorbike towards Ledbury when the crash occurred. The two other vehicles involved, travelling in the direction of Malvern, were a Silver VW Golf and a black Skoda -their drivers were not arrested 19-year-old is in custody while inquires continue, police say. The West Mercia force said it was keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash or may have seen any of the vehicles prior to it. "We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have dash cam footage," a spokesperson said. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
