Latest news with #trafficrules
Khaleej Times
06-08-2025
- Automotive
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Temporary road closure announced in Sharjah for over two weeks
Temporary road closures have been announced in Sharjah from Thursday, August 7, to Sunday, August 24. According to Sharjah's Roads and Transport Authority, this comes as a part of the second phase of infrastructure development works in the area. The affected area spans from from Al Corniche Street to Al Intifada Street – Majaz 3, as seen in the map below. The authority has urged drivers to use alternative routes and follow the traffic rules for safety. Earlier, in July, it was announced that as part of the Etihad Rail Project some major streets would be closed for two months. The roads connecting Mleiha Road and Sharjah Ring Road, near University Bridge were closed for the project.
CTV News
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
New CAA report calls for clearer rules on e-bikes and e-scooters
E-scooters and helmets are seen lined up on an Ottawa street. July 16, 2025. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa) E-bikes and e-scooters are changing how people get around, but not everyone thinks they belong on shared pathways. A new report by CAA and the Traffic Injury Research Foundation found the rules around e-bikes and e-scooters are often unclear. 'What that means is that there's different rules and bylaws and regulations, and people really need to be familiar with them. That means where can you drive them? What sort of traffic rules should you be following? Do you need a helmet? That sort of thing,' said Julie Beun of CAA. Joan Grant, a former public health nurse and avid cyclist, says what's happening on multi-use pathways is putting people at risk. 'It's an accident waiting to happen,' she said. Grant says electric scooters and bikes are just too fast for certain pathways. 'The scooters may be a problem, but I don't think they're the major problem. I think electric bicycles, people that are using this now as a racetrack. We need to rethink how we're doing our paths and who's on it, and make sure that people know the rules of the road. And they don't,' she said. According to the Ottawa Police Service, when operating an e-bike you need to wear, at a minimum, a bicycle helmet. E-bikes can go no faster than 32 km/h on a roadway and any modification to an e-bike, such as removing the pedals or adapting the power source classifies it as a motorcycle, which requires an M-class licence, insurance and registration. The City of Ottawa can regulate rental scooters, limiting their speed and where they can operate, but officials say there's little control over privately owned devices, something they say province needs to address. 'It's really challenging for the private owners of scooters. We see them all the time racing up and down, going well above what we govern ours at, at 20 kilometres an hour. And certainly, I think the province should look into this. I know they're looking into it after speaking to the Minister of Transportation, and I feel this is something that will become more of an issue,' said Coun. Tim Tierney, chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. Under Ottawa's e-scooter bylaw, e-scooters can only be used by riders 16 years of age or older, the operating speed limit is 20 km/h and 12 km/h in designated 'slow zones.' Riders under the age of 18 must wear a helmet. Each scooter is only allowed a single rider at one time and e-scooters are not permitted to operate on a sidewalk. Even some who ride e-bikes say speed is the number one issue on pathways. 'If they go more than 20, I wouldn't want them there. No, I definitely don't think anything should be over 20 on this,' said e-cyclist Leo Lalonde. Grant says she wants to see more rules for drivers of electric bikes and scooters. 'When it comes to e-scooters whizzing past you or one of those unicycle things, they don't need to be on the pathway. I think it's just too much,' she said.
Japan Times
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Japan Times
Foreign drivers in Japan to face tougher license conversion rules from October
The National Police Agency on Thursday revealed a draft of new, tougher traffic rules for foreign nationals who wish to convert their drivers license into a Japanese one, following a series of high-profile car accidents by such drivers. Under the revised rules, a certificate of residence must be submitted when applying for a license conversion. The current system does not have such a requirement for applicants who are visitors, allowing foreign tourists to apply using temporary addresses such as hotels. Diplomats, professional car racers and U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan, among other special cases, will be able to obtain Japanese licenses with documents provided by the organizations they work for. When renewing a converted driver's license, applicants will need to submit a copy of their certificate of residence, foreign residence card or special permanent residency permit. To drive in Japan, either a Japanese driver's license or an international driver's license is required. The latter is issued for nations that have signed the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic. For nationals of countries that are not part of the international treaty, such as China, Vietnam and Brazil, converting their license into a Japanese one gives them an opportunity to obtain an international drivers license as well. The revision also includes making tests on Japan's traffic rules harder. Currently, the written test consists of 10 yes-or-no questions on traffic rules — such as whether drivers in Japan drive on the right side of the road — and applicants must get seven answers correctly to pass. After the revision, the test would include 50 questions, and applicants would need a score of at least 90% to pass. The driving test will also toughen checks on whether drivers know the rules for pedestrian crosswalks and railway crossings. The revision is slated to take effect on Oct. 1 after the government seeks public comments through August. According to the NPA, there were 75,905 foreign license conversions in 2024, up from 48,885 in 2019. Meanwhile, NPA data shows that 7,286 car accidents were caused by foreign drivers in 2024, up from the 6,485 recorded in 2019. By nationality, Chinese drivers were at the top, followed by South Koreans, North Koreans and Brazilians. Calls to toughen the rules for foreign license conversions grew after a series of car accidents caused by foreign nationals made headlines. In one case, a Chinese man was arrested in May over an alleged hit-and-run that injured four elementary school boys in Saitama Prefecture. In another, a Peruvian man was arrested for allegedly driving on the wrong side of the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Mie Prefecture, crashing into multiple vehicles and fleeing the scene.
CTV News
09-07-2025
- CTV News
Cyclist charged following collision with motorist in Vaughan
Police are on the scene of a collision in Vaughan on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Chopper 24) A 17-year-old cyclist is facing charges after colliding with a vehicle in Vaughan on Tuesday. York Regional Police say at around 3 p.m. they were called to the intersection of Dufferin Street and Beverley Glen Road, north of Centre Street, for reports of a collision. Investigators say officers at the scene saw a white vehicle in the right-turn lane of northbound Dufferin and a damaged bicycle nearby. Paramedics treated the cyclist at the scene for minor injuries, they said. The driver of the vehicle was not injured. '(We) learned the cyclist had been riding southbound in the northbound lanes and was not wearing a helmet when the impact occurred,' police said in a news release. The cyclist has since been charged with careless driving and operating a bicycle with no helmet. York Regional Police are reminding cyclists to follow the rules of the road, adding that they are subject to the same rules and responsibilities as motorists under the Highway Traffic Act. They must ride in the same direction as traffic and obey all traffic signals and signs, always wear a helmet, especially those under 18 who are legally required to do so, use proper hand signals when turning or stopping, equip bicycles with a working bell or horn, and use lights and reflectors at night, and stay visible and predictable to other road users. This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact York Regional Police's Regional #4 District at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7400, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
SBS Australia
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- SBS Australia
From speeding to not giving way at roundabouts, these are mistakes many Indonesian drivers make
Driving in Australia can be challenging for newcomers, including those used to Indonesian traffic patterns. The challenge isn't about driving ability itself, but rather that Australia's traffic rules are more complex than Indonesia's. In an interview with SBS Indonesian, Farida Simanjuntak, a driving instructor in Melbourne, shared guidance to help drivers understand the key points they need to watch for to stay safe on the roads. One common mistake, Simanjuntak said, involves speeding. 'Sometimes people aren't used to it. When the road looks empty, they just accelerate without realising there's a speed camera ahead,' Simanjuntak said. 'Here, you're expected to follow the posted speed limit—not your instinct.' Simanjuntak also pointed out that many new drivers struggle with giving way at roundabouts. 'Give way to the right. That's something people often forget, and it can lead to accidents,' she said. Most traffic signs in Australia are actually quite clear, Simanjuntak said, but when speed signs aren't visible, drivers can follow a basic rule based on the number of lanes. 'One lane usually means 50 km/h, two lanes is 60, and three lanes is 70. That's the standard guideline,' she explained. Simanjuntak also said drivers should prioritise others on the road, especially pedestrians. 'Give way to pedestrians first, then cyclists, then buses. Anything involving public transport or the public—give them priority,' she said. When asked about language support, she acknowledged that there is currently no official driver education available in Indonesian. However, interpreter services are available free of charge for those who need assistance during tests or lessons. Find out more about the driving rules applied in your states and territory . Listen to SBS Indonesian on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 3pm. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram , and don't miss our podcasts.
