MEDIA RELEASE    

NICK XENOPHON M.L.C.

INDEPENDENT NO POKIES MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

 

17 May 2005

 

 MOVE TO ACCELERATE LICENCE LOSS

FOR SPEEDING DRIVERS

Speeding drivers will face an automatic loss of licence for going 20 kmh over the speed limit under Amendments Legislation being considered in Parliament next week.

No Pokies MLC Nick Xenophon will move Amendments to the Government’s Road Traffic (Excessive Speed) Amendment Bill 2005.  Under the current Bill a driver faces a 6 month loss of licence for driving over 45 kmh above the speed limit, and a $500.00 expiation fee (or up $1,000 fine imposed by the Court).

Under Mr Xenophon’s proposal a driver going 20 kmh over the speed limit will automatically face a loss of licence of 1 month, and at 30 kmh over a licence loss of 3 months.

Mr Xenophon said:

“Independent accident research shows that travelling even 5 kms over in a 60 kmh zone can be equivalent in terms of risk to .05 blood alcohol level.  On country roads on a 80 kmh – 110 kmh zone being even 10 kmh faster than the average speed of other vehicles doubles the risk of crash involvement.”

 “It is time we got serious about changing community attitudes to speeding, particularly amongst a hard core element are deluded into believing our public roads are their own private speedways.”

Mr Xenophon will be writing to all Government, Opposition and cross bench MPs in the Upper House seeking support for the amendment, as well as Police Minister Kevin Foley.

 

Written and authorised by Nick Xenophon, 653 Lower North East Road, Paradise, SA 5075