New roadside camera trial to target drivers breaching specific road rule in 'real-time'
Queensland is rolling out new technology that will warn drivers to back off if they're caught tailgating on the state's roads.
The variable message signs will appear on the side of the road and will display messages to passing motorists if the monitoring technology detects them driving too close to the car in front.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has launched the system at one site and has a couple of others planned for the very near future. A spokesperson for TMR told Yahoo News the trial is very much a "fact finding" mission that is aiming to better understand how prevalent the issue of tailgating is.
While drivers can be fined $376 for tailgating in Queensland, the data collected in the trial will simply be used to inform future road safety policies. For now, "there are absolutely no plans" to utilise such technology to issue official warnings or infringements, the spokesperson said.
The problem of tailgating is, at least anecdotally, on the rise in Queensland, with one in five drivers recently admitting to doing it. The latest RACQ's Annual Road Safety Survey showed that 20 per cent of motorists admitted to tailgating others on the road, a response that has seen a gradual increase over the years.
"Tailgating is a major contributor to road trauma in Queensland, being one of the main causes of rear end crashes," said Joanna Robinson, the general manager of Land, Transport, Safety, and Regulation at TMR.
"This new technology will detect unsafe tailgating behaviour, and display a message to motorists in real-time."
The signs will act much like the Slow for SAM (speed awareness monitors) signs in the state which are electronic displays which provide feedback to divers based on their detected speed.
According to the Motor Accident Insurance Commission, rear end crashes are the most common type of road accident in that state, with the organisation urging drivers to make sure they leave a "two second" gap with the car in front, and more of a gap in adverse conditions such as rain.
Meaning behind little-known roadside marker popping up on Aussie roads
Tragic detail in Aussie roadside photo prompts urgent call to action
Millions warned over new cameras with $3,300 fines and six demerit points
Authorities around the country are working to reduce the number of road fatalities and change driver behaviour with greater surveillance and monitoring.
"We are seeing an increase in people admitting to aggressive behaviours," RACQ's Road Safety and Technical Manager Joel Tucker said following the group's latest survey in October.
"We all get stuck in traffic, we all have places to be and sometimes we make mistakes. It's important to keep a cool head and not to overreact to things that happen on the road, because the consequences of impatience or anger can be life-changing," he warned.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Yahoo
Major EV warning as true battery range for big brands like Tesla and BYD exposed: 'Aussies deserve to know'
Australians considering buying an electric vehicle (EV) have been warned about the real-world battery range on some of the most popular models. Range anxiety has been a thorn in the side of the electric vehicle market for years as Aussie drivers fear they'll run out of juice on a long journey. Major strides have been made to push the maximum battery range for many EV manufacturers; however, these limits have been put to the test on our roads. The Australian Automobile Association grabbed popular models from Tesla, BYD, and Kia to see if they could go as far as they claimed. RELATED Electric vehicle warning as BYD records biggest month of sales in Australia Little-known Centrelink perk offers Australian students free flights ATO warning over $485 billion deadline for thousands just weeks away The AAA's investigation was part of a $14 million Real-World Testing Program to see how cars (including petrol and hybrid models) really performed in the wild. The Program recently discovered 25 out of 30 petrol and hybrid vehicles tested consumed more fuel than their lab results, and more than three-quarters failed to meet expectations. The next round of testing saw EVs taken on urban and rural roads, as well as on a motorway, and they had to contend with real-time traffic. They were also driven inside a lab to see how far the battery would last under perfect circumstances. Carmakers happily boast their vehicles can go certain distances on a single tank or full battery, with the latter used as a huge competitive edge in the EV world. Five electric cars were tested in AAA's program: BYD Atto 3 Tesla Model 3 Tesla Model Y Kia EV6 Smart #3How long did popular EV car batteries last? For the two Teslas, the Model 3 was able to go 513km in the lab, but only 441km on real roads, a 14 per cent difference. The Model Y had an 8 per cent difference, with the car driving 533km in the lab and only 490km outside. The BYD Atto 3 had the biggest inconsistency of 23 per cent, with the lab results showing a battery range of 480km, but a real-world result of just 369km. Kia's EV6 notched 528km in the lab and 484km on real roads, and the Smart #3 had the lowest variation of just 5 per cent, with 455km in the lab and 432km real-world battery range. "Australians deserve to know how vehicles perform on roads," the AAA said. "This testing provides accurate and relevant information to enable more informed decisions for consumers, businesses and fleets buying new light vehicles." Australian Electric Vehicle Association national president Chris Jones blamed the difference in battery range on multiple factors, including high or low temperatures, headwinds, steep terrain, and whether the driver uses air conditioning or heating features during their journey. He said EV makers needed to be more upfront about how far their cars could go so that buyers didn't shy away from them in the future. "It is frustrating that manufacturers are inflating the values when they really ought to be a bit more conservative," Jones said. "I would have thought a 10 per cent difference was reasonable but 20 per cent is pretty bad." Yahoo Finance has approached Tesla, Kia, and BYD for comment. EV subsidies could soon be axed under major overhaul The revelation could serve as a huge blow to the EV industry at a time when subsidies that won over many buyers are on the chopping block. The Productivity Commission is investigating the country's goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and highlighted the generous handouts given to those who buy an electric car. It has recommended to dump the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemptions and state-based stamp duty discounts for the EV market. 'Now that the Australian Government has implemented the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), it should phase-out the exemption of electric vehicles from the Fringe Benefits Tax,' the interim report said. The NVES was implemented earlier this year and it gives every car manufacturer a CO2 target that they either have to meet or beat each year. That target is lowered each year until 2029, which will put increased pressure on brands to have zero or low-emissions vehicles in their fleet. 'The EV purchase subsidies and the NVES overlap, as they both promote the purchase of low-emissions vehicles," the Productivity Commission said. 'EV tax discounts subsidise car buyers to opt for EVs, while the NVES is a broader-based policy that aims to increase purchases of low-emissions light vehicles, including both EVs and more fuel-efficient fossil fuel cars.' The suggestion sparked outcry from the EV industry, with Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) CEO Julie Delvecchio saying the incentives proposed to be axed were "finally helping everyday Australians afford an electric car". 'Suggesting we end incentives just as Australia finally catches up to the rest of the developed world with an efficiency standard is short-sighted. We need both - they work together, not in isolation," she while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Yahoo
'Hidden tax' to hit Aussies from this week in fresh cost-of-living blow
Aussie motorists will pay more for petrol and diesel at the bowser from this week following another increase to the fuel excise. The fuel excise increases twice a year in line with inflation in February and August. The fuel excise on petrol and diesel rose from 50.8 to 51.6 cents per litre on Monday. This is a flat sales tax levied by the federal government on petrol and diesel bought at the bowser, and is on top of GST. Based on filling up a 55L tank, the increase works out to an extra 44 cents per tank. Aussie motorists paid an estimated $15.71 billion in net fuel excise in 2023-24 and are expected to pay $67.6 billion over the four years to 2026-27. RELATED New $363 EV tax plan for electric car drivers amid $67.6 billion cost St George slammed over 'obscene' cash withdrawal move as thousands struggle Commonwealth Bank reveals LMI home loan changes for borrowers The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) has criticised the increase, saying it would lead to higher prices for families and businesses already struggling with cost-of-living pressures. "This is an indiscriminate tax that disproportionately affects low-income earners and families who rely on their vehicles for work and essential travel," VACC CEO Peter Jones said. The group has labelled the excise a "hidden tax", given that it is built into the price displayed at the petrol pump. "Motorists deserve transparency about how their fuel is priced. They need to understand that fuel excise isn't a static tax – the government increases it every six months, and it's a significant component of what they pay at the pump," Jones said. In the 2023-24 financial year, the Australian Automobile Association found the fuel excise bill for the typical household was about $1,283. What is the fuel excise? The fuel excise increases twice a year in line with the Consumer Price Index, which rose by 0.7 per cent in the June quarter and 2.1 per cent over the 12 months to June. The fuel excise was originally introduced to help pay for our roads, with all or part of the excise earmarked for spending on roads between 1926 and 1959. But since then, it has generally been available for any spending. Over the decade to 2022-23, the Australian Automobile Association found only 57 per cent of fuel excise was reinvested in land transport projects. When was the fuel excise cut? The fuel excise was halved for six months in 2022 by the previous Coalition government to ease cost-of-living pressures. The Opposition also promised to halve the tax for 12 months should it win this year's federal election and claimed it would save motorists $700 per year; however, this didn't happen. What about EVs? With more Aussies buying electric vehicles, the revenue generated from the fuel excise is expected to drop significantly. A record of just over 10 per cent (13,169 vehicles) of new car sales were electric in June, according to data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and Electric Vehicle Council. Australia's new vehicle emissions standards, which became mandatory in July 2025, are designed to accelerate EV uptake. Treasurer Jim Chalmers previously flagged a new road user charge that would include EV drivers to replace the fuel excise. New South Wales has confirmed plans to introduce a road user charge from 2027, or when EVs reach 30 per cent of new car in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Yahoo
Aussies warned over impending caravan rule change amid national trend: 'Don't wait'
Caravan owners are being reminded to make a potentially life-saving change ahead of new rules coming into effect in one Aussie state. If they don't already have one, all caravans and motorhomes in Queensland and Victoria will soon be mandated to have a working photoelectric smoke alarm installed in them, brining the state into line with other major jurisdictions. With more than 900,000 caravans and motorhomes registered across the country, more Australians are relying on mobile homes for holidays and full-time accomodation during an ongoing housing shortage in parts of the nation. And a number of devastating caravan fires have made headline in recent months, bringing the issue into focus. From 2027, all caravans and motorhomes must be fitted with a photoelectric smoke alarm on the ceiling. It comes after the rule was already imposed on newly registered caravans in the state last year. Jason Plant, the CEO of Caravan Trade and Industry Association Queensland, told Yahoo News the broader mandate is "a welcome and responsible move". The long lead time on making the alarms mandatory in all existing vehicles is about "allowing owners, manufacturers, and retailers sufficient time to adapt, retrofit, and educate consumers," Jason said. "It also ensures supply chains can meet demand, particularly for alarms designed to withstand the unique conditions of on-the-road conditions, such as vibration and temperature fluctuations." Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads as well as the state's Housing Department has been reminding residents of the change on social media in recent weeks, urging owners to get ahead of the change. "Don't wait for the law – or a fire – to catch up," they warned. Related: Family 'lucky to be alive' after caravan home erupts in flames Different rules across states but caravan 'trend is clear' Caravan owners in NSW must have a smoke alarm installed in their vehicles, in any section where occupants will sleep. "NSW legislation stipulates that you must have at least one working smoke alarm inside the van where the bed is, and one in the annex if people are sleeping there," NSW Fire and Rescue says. "Caravans and campervans have limited escape options in the event of a fire. You have just a few seconds to get out of a burning caravan, as they are constructed of lightweight and highly combustible fittings. A working smoke alarm can mean the difference between life and death." A majority of domestic caravan manufacturing takes place in Victoria, which has also had a similar mandate on the books from July last year. As a result, modern smoke alarms have increasingly become a standard inclusion for most new caravan builds. Elderly Aussies face eviction as caravan park crisis sparks calls for reform Caravanner's $600 mistake prompts simple Starlink reminder Grey nomads warned as deadly threat prompts new campaign Western Australia and Tasmania have not mandated smoke alarms in mobile homes, but in general, "the national trend toward stronger safety standards is clear," Jason told Yahoo. "It's likely that smoke alarms will become a default feature in caravans across Australia. Over time, consumer expectations and manufacturer practices will help close the gap, even in states without formal mandates," he said Caravan and campervan owners will need to retrofit devices Those will older models of RVs and caravans, retrofitting photoelectric smoke alarms is generally straightforward, Jason said. Typically the devices don't require any hardwiring and can be found at specialist caravan retailers and even some hardware stores. Alternatively, owners can have them installed at caravan service centres, "which offer retrofitting as part of broader safety upgrade services". "The industry has also seen strong uptake of caravan-specific alarms featuring hush buttons and 10-year non-removable batteries, products that meet both regulatory requirements and the practical needs of mobile living," he said. While the smoke alarm might not save the caravan, it could save lives. In March, a new $175,000 caravan was completely destroyed in a fire in South Australia after lithium-ion batteries inside caught fire. SA's Country Fire Service said the occupants spotted smoke "coming out of the batteries" before the fire had started. They were able to exit the vehicle safely but it was too late for the caravan. In the same month, a young couple lost their caravan after hearing the smoke alarm go off while driving. Last year, one young family told Yahoo News they were lucky to be alive after their caravan went up in flames in Victoria, believed to be started by a diesel heater inside. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
