Latest news with #AustralianRoadRules
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Caravan and boat owners targeted by Aussie council in fresh crackdown
Authorities across the country continue to grapple with the tension caused by caravans and boats taking up precious on-street parking along residential roads. One council is even asking for state laws to change to crack down on the issue. Charles Sturt Council in Adelaide announced last week it intends to reach out to South Australia's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Tom Koutsantonis to review state laws that would enable councils to introduce stricter parking restrictions on larger vehicles. At the moment, councils across the state are limited in their response due to current laws. "Council has proposed to write to the Transport Minister to seek a review of the relevant legislation to empower councils to enforce and manage long-term parking and the storage of vehicles such as caravans and trailers on public roads where no other parking restrictions apply," the council's General Manager Engaged Community Kristie Johnson told Yahoo News. There are a few exceptions but under current Australian Road Rules, vehicles heavier than 4.5 tonnes or longer than 7.5 metres can't be parked in built-up areas for more than one hour. However, Kristie told The Advertiser the council has issued 111 expiations, a type of fine, in the last year due to residents in the local government area (LGA) breaking this rule. The council hope to reduce these breaches by introducing tougher restrictions and freeing up parking options. There has been an uptick in the number of caravans on Aussie roads and this is only compounding the issue, according to Charles Mountain, Manager of Safety and Infrastructure at the RAA. "It's probably becoming a bigger problem for a combination of reasons. More and more people own caravans and boats than ever before... we've got a situation now where modern homes often only have six or eight metres between property boundary and the garage means there is limited space," Charles told ABC Adelaide. "People are defaulting to parking their recreational vehicle on the street and of course that causes a lot of problems as the vehicles by very nature are large... the challenge for councils is to manage that because it obviously creates a lot of friction and tension with the resident who feels miffed if they can't park their vehicle in front of the property they paid rates for," he said. On-street parking of boats, trailers and caravans has long been a contentious issue for residents as many find it difficult enough to claim a park for their car in built-up areas, never mind have ample space to accomodate larger vehicles too. The tension has become so heightened in the past that residents living in Sydney's Northern City Council even resorted to vandalism by spray painting 'f**k it off' on a boat to deter the owner from parking in their street. 🌳 Council backflips on 'blunderous' tree decision that shocked city shoppers 👀 Little-known parking tactic used by councils to catch out drivers 😲 Council erupts over 'reverse graffiti' act on footpath Councils have approached the issue in different ways, with Randwick City Council taking a firm stance by completely blocking parking along a five-kilometre nature strip after it grew popular with large vehicle parking. In comparison, North Sydney council previously told Yahoo News it was aware of the "ongoing issue" of boats being parked in streets but simply explained the vehicles were "legally permitted" to be there. Yahoo News understands there are no specifics on the restrictions Charles Strut Council will propose at this stage. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Warning ahead of major change coming to Australian roads: 'Big problem'
The world is moving closer towards autonomous vehicles (AV), with large parts of the northern hemisphere — including Europe, China, the US and Japan — trialling the innovative technology. While it's still a while away in Australia, legal experts warn our laws must be updated in anticipation of their arrival, with current legislation largely defining a driver as a person. New research has found most laws grant authorities the power to stop vehicles based on the presence of a human driver and their potential violation of road traffic regulations. For instance, NSW road rules specify that "a driver is the person who is driving a vehicle". Likewise, the Australian Road Rules, which serve as a guiding framework for state and territory legislation, also define a driver as "the person who is driving". But the introduction of self-driving cars changes all of that. Led by Charles Darwin University (CDU), the study, in collaboration with Queensland University of Technology and the University of Newcastle, reported enforcement officers only have powers to stop a vehicle based on a driver's actions. Lead author, CDU Senior Lecturer in Law Dr Mark Brady, said that's going to have to be amended if self-driving cars end up on our roads — which he expects will happen within the next 10 to 20 years. Speaking to Yahoo, Brady said lawmakers will need to properly consider the definition of driver in legislation, particularly those that assume human control of motor vehicles. Brady has called for a national framework in response. "We need a harmonisation of laws," he told Yahoo. "As AVs come online more and more, you'll find that there'll be pressure generated to create a national automated vehicle framework. "The National Transport Commission (NTC) is looking into it already, and recommendations have been made. A unified framework will mean vehicles travelling from one area to another can expect, or the occupants can expect, the same treatment and the same rules. "That standardised set of rules is going to be exponentially more efficient than the scattered framework that we currently have state to state." Huge problem with the next generation of electric cars Common myth about Aussie road deaths exposed Surprise mobile speed camera trend amid increased monitoring The key issue will be determining liability, Brady said. In states like Queensland, where fault must be assigned to recover damages, adapting to AVs could be more complex. In contrast, no-fault states may find the transition easier and could even be driven toward broader no-fault third-party insurance schemes. For insurers, they will likely follow the NTC's recommendation to recognise an Automated Driving System Entity (ADSE) — the entity or system responsible for the operation and control of an automated vehicle — as the responsible party for incidents involving self-driving vehicles. "If you have a malfunction in an individually-owned AV, you will probably find that it will fall more towards the manufacturer's liability, rather than the individual liability for failure to take proper control of the vehicle," he said. "But there are some warnings that might happen in an accident — did the car stop? Did the car give a warning to take control? Was that warning heeded? They're the questions that will be asked in court." In Europe, AVs are being trialled in countries like the Netherlands and Germany. Brady expects Australia will largely look to those nations when it's our turn. "I think we will find that we'll be following Europe quite a lot, because Europe tends to have a more rights-based than a central control approach. "AVs coming from Europe will be able to not talk to one another, but more than likely be able to understand where they all are relative to each other, too. "What you might see in future is, when they're drafting legislation, there may be provisions for machine-readable code to be put on street signs, so that the cars themselves can automatically read the information they need to know. "But liability will ultimately come down to the ADSE, that's one of the biggest problems." AVs have been trialled in various parts of Australia, including cities like Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, as well as in regional parts of NSW and South Australia. While they are being tested, most of the trials are taking place in controlled environments, such as university campuses, private car parks, and specific test areas, rather than on public roads. It is widely reported that around 90 per cent of road accidents are caused by human error, highlighting the significant role that drivers' actions play in traffic incidents. This statistic highlights the potential benefits of autonomous vehicles, which are designed to eliminate human error by relying on advanced technology such as sensors, cameras, and AI systems to make decisions. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
