Police

NSW Police will be able to hand out on-the-spot fines and automatic licence disqualification for low-range DUI offences under new legislation currently being considered.

Failing to produce your licence upon request while on the road is illegal in all states and, yes, you could be fined on the spot in some states.

Crooks in South Australia will have a familiar sight when they look in their rear-view mirrors, with the ZB Commodore officially joining the state's police fleet.

Queensland Police Service has adopted its first fleet of Kia Stinger V6 vehicles to replace the outgoing Ford and Holden pursuit vehicles.Decked out in police trim, complete with a blue-and-white livery, sirens and flashing lights, the rear-wheel drive performance saloon is already patrolling Queensland streets with the Road Policing Command.According to Kia, a total of 50 police-issue Stingers will be rolled out between now and December this year.The decision to take on the Stinger for the Road Policing Command was not a difficult one, according to police minister Mark Ryan."It was not a big step at all once we had begun the investigation process," said Mr Ryan."Reading what the experts had to say, and seeing how efficiently the Stinger was changing minds and perceptions once people had been exposed to it... it was not a difficult decision."You often hear police ministers talking about providing the best equipment for those at the coal face. In this case I truly believe we have been able to do that."In testing the Stinger for potential police use, the South Korean sedan underwent a desktop evaluation, followed by a track performance assessment and then an operational evaluation conducted under "real-world" conditions.Kia Motors Australia (KMAu) chief operating officer Damien Meredith said he was pleased QLD police will use its vehicle, saying it is a watershed moment for the brand's image."This level of public exposure and endorsement from a high-profile government utility is something which wouldn’t have been on the radar just a few years ago," said Mr Meredith."It is just a beginning, but a very important one for us".More: Holden Commodore joins South Australian Police fleetMore: Chrysler 300 SRT and BMW 530d confirmed for NSW Police

If you saw police pulling people over for a MDT, would you be worried, or baffled, or both?

No, it's not illegal to drive with your interior lights on as there's no legislation mandating whether people can, or cannot, legally drive with interior lighting.  However, by illuminating the interior of the car you are making it much harder to see outside. This is where the police will have an issue with you, as

The big question people should be asking themselves is why they would want to try to use a car at all after they've consumed alcohol.

Quite simply, yes. The police can fine you for not having both hands on the steering wheel at all practical times.

The answer is no, but laws of good taste should deem drinking horrible stuff like sarsaparilla illegal at any time. Unfortunately it is not illegal to drink a non-alcoholic beverage while driving, so my hatred of sarsaparilla must go unpunished.While it is definitely illegal to have an open container of alcohol in your car, or to be drinking an alcoholic beverage while driving, there are no laws against sipping a can of soft drink, or enjoying an iced iced coffee, while cruising down the freeway.It always pays to leave the lids on hot drinks, and ensure they are securely fastened in cupholders to prevent being scalded by them. More than one crash has also occurred thanks to someone trying to cradle a hot drink between their legs (which is illegal) and drive.You should always remember to keep drinks within easy reach so you don't have to look away from the road to reach it, which could lead to disastrous distraction. Having them securely located in cupholders will also stop drinks from rolling around.It is important to secure large bottles of a litre or more, as these items can become lethal projectiles in a sudden stop or crash. The average litre bottle of water weighs 1kg, which is enough to kill a human if it hits the wrong part of your head as it flies through the air.If the police feel you are not in full control of your vehicle then you can still be fined if they see you, or if you drinking something is found to have been a cause of or contributing factor to a crash.This article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here is suitable to your situation before driving in this manner.

Holden and Ford not in the mix as NSW Police confirm new highway patrol roles for Chrysler and BMW. The long running saga of what cars would replace the locally built Holden Commodore and Ford Falcons that patrolled NSW roads for decades has been partially resolved, with the NSW Police Force announcing that it will