Safety

One in four SUVs still lack rear view cameras – even though the technology is now standard on a $14,990 hatchback.

A blitz by NSW Police and the NSW Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) has revealed an alarming number of light and heavy trucks with excessive loads, unsecured cargo, or with tampered speed limiters. In one case, a speed limiter had been altered to allow a truck to travel upwards of 150km/h. Operation Containment inspected nearly 700 vehicles over five days, and found a startling 66 per cent were in breach of maximum load capacities, or needed their loads adjusted to be properly secured. The risks are too high, it simply must improve The driver pictured above will face court along with the truck's operator on charges of weight, width, height and restraint breaches for substantially overloading a light truck and trailer with pallets. RMS Director of Safety and Compliance, Peter Wells, said the message about road safety "is clearly not getting through to some". "The risks are too high, it simply must improve and we will drive that," he said. Guidelines on preparing your vehicle, trailer and load for towing are available on the RMS website.

In the US, more than 64,000 Chevrolet Volt electric cars are being recalled, which is expected to prompt a recall of more than 200 Holden versions next week.

Mobile phone road rage is breaking out as some drivers photograph others texting and talking and order them to stop.

An increase in the number of mobile speed camera enforcement hours from 900 to 7000 hours a month has helped boost the government's coffers after it issued just 26,453 fines in the 2013-14 financial year, netting $4.9 million. In the seven months to January this year, the NSW state government has already issued 40,912 fines and raised $8.3 million. Public anger over the explosion in mobile speed camera fines can only be soothed by giving motorists better warning before they get busted, the NRMA says. The $8.3 million cash bonanza for the government has sparked a five-fold increase in attacks on camera cars, with 82 instances so far this financial year of objects being thrown, verbal abuse and cars swerving towards operators. The NRMA believes hidden signs that don't even display the speed limit, anonymous camera cars and little distance between sign and camera are fuelling the rage. These measures that we are suggesting will make it fairer and should slow people down before they get fined "There has been a seven-fold increase in enforcement hours for mobile speed cameras, which has given rise to a perception of unfairness among motorists," NRMA president Kyle Loades said. "The NRMA is aiming to address those perceptions and help reinforce the message that mobile speed cameras are about road safety, not revenue. "These measures that we are suggesting will make it fairer and should slow people down before they get fined." The plan involves displaying speed limits on mobile speed camera signs, greater distance between the signs and the cameras, and high-visibility markings on camera vehicles. The organisation, which represents 2.4 million motorists, also wants the government to conduct a yearly audit to guarantee the cameras are put only in proven black spots. NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay hinted the government may make some changes. "We always welcome constructive dialogue and it's fantastic to see the NRMA put forward sensible safety recommendations, which I've asked our roads safety experts to look at."

It was a scene straight from Gone in 60 Seconds or Grand Theft Auto, except it wasn't Hollywood. It was an industrial estate in Dandenong.

Male motorists accounted for 70 per cent of all speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt and drink-driving offences in the past three financial years, the figures reveal. Men account for four out of five drink-drive fines, seven of every 10 speeding fines. Some of the detail is jaw-dropping. Of 20 idiots booked drinking booze while instructing a learner driver, 19 were men. What hope is there for those L-platers, after soaking up that kind of instruction? While many men pride themselves on excellent skills behind the wheel, their ability to pull off the perfect parallel park is more than eroded by other poor behaviour. Men, in particular, need to pull their socks up Sadly, the driving habits gender gap is much more than fodder for battle-of-the-sexes debates at barbecues or the pub. In the 12 months to Thursday, 64 women died on Victorian roads compared with 187 men. Men, in particular, need to pull their socks up. The reality is risky drivers are a danger to themselves and all others on the roads. No doubt some men will try to justify the figures by arguing men do more driving than women. But previous studies have shown that, even taking into account that men take more trips and cover more kilometres than women, male drivers are over-represented in fines. Some men also try to argue that police pick on blokes and let women get away with more behind the wheel. But police ferociously deny this, saying they don't differentiate when enforcing the road rules. Law-breakers are law-breakers, regardless of gender. Perhaps our road safety authorities need to consider gender-specific campaigns such as those adopted in other states. Some years ago in NSW, for example, ads ran with the slogan "no one thinks big of you", with women waggling their pinky fingers at men. Male or female, please drive safely While it is important to remind young men of safety messages, specific campaigns should also be aimed at women. There is a danger some young women don't relate to campaigns featuring men, and ignore vital safety messages that really should be absorbed by all drivers. Reducing deaths and injuries on Victorian roads hinges on a significant change in behaviour of both sexes. Male or female, please drive safely.

In the second half of last year I purchased two company vehicles from a VW dealership. My concern is that the speed readings have been set by VW Australia at 10 per cent below the actual and correct speed. Whilst it is better to be 10 per cent below rather than being 10 per cent above the correct reading, my staff are now second-guessing their speed and travelling at 106km/h on a 100km/h freeway just to keep up with the speed and flow of traffic. They cannot rely on the accuracy of the speedo and worse still they are now relying on an app on their mobile phones to correctly indicate the correct speed they are travelling at. As these two cars are company vehicles, I am concerned about work health and safety issues with VW's unacceptable 10 per cent allowances. A two per cent allowance would be more realistic.

The crash happened about 3.50pm on Rutleys Rd near Vales Rd at Mannering Park, an area bordered by three bays and Mannering Lake, when it appears the man lost control. The silver Porsche, which appeared to be a late model Carrera, could be seen floating in a bushland surrounded river, its sides crumpled, bonnet raised and doors forced open by the impact. Both lanes of Rutleys Rd had to be closed off for several hours after the crash while the wreckage was retrieved from the water. The driver, though shaken, was left with only minor injuries and did not require hospital treatment. Sadly for Porsche lovers everywhere, the same could not be said for his car.

Results of a RACQ survey recently revealed 49 per cent of drivers aged 16-24 admitted to using their mobiles when driving with calling, selfies and social media being the most common uses. But Springfield Lakes road worker Tim Forward says young drivers aren't the worst and talking outweighs other types of use. In just six months working as a stop and go sign worker around Beaudesert and Ipswich, Mr Forward was nearly hit at least four times by distracted drivers. If the drivers are made to stop, you'd see them jump on their phone pretty much straight away He said the number of drivers talking on their phones was alarming and a road worker could be killed. "I'd say at least 75 per cent would be talking on their phone when driving through road works," he said. "If the drivers are made to stop, you'd see them jump on their phone pretty much straight away." Mr Forward said drivers over the age of 40 were the worst for talking on their phones. He said drivers who use their mobile when driving were endangering lives. "A large truck came within metres of hitting me," he said. Drivers aged 20-29 years were the worst for using a handheld mobile phone "We do everything we can to stay off the roads and not to hold people up for long but we cop a lot of abuse. "My partner does get quite worried about it." A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said the number of mobile phone infringements issued in the Springfield area from January 1 to 2012 to October 31 2014 had increased from 19 to 66. Department of Transport and Main Roads statistics revealed drivers aged 20-29 years were the worst for using a handheld mobile phone in the Springfield region with 27 infringements issued between January and October last year. This was followed by drivers aged 30-39 years with 21 infringements issued. Springfield Police Station officer in charge Sergeant Geoff Noller said there was plenty of evidence Springfield drivers were using phones when driving. Mr Forward said he would still work in the industry but a greater police presence around road work sites was needed.