SA drivers should retake road rules tests before renewing licence, RAA says

Drivers renewing their licence in SA should retake a basic road rule quiz first, the RAA says, with many people getting some questions wrong.

The RAA wants drivers offered the opportunity to take a basic road safety quiz when they renew their licences.

RAA road safety expert Charles Mountain said the organisation had always recorded a high failure rate for its website quiz.

The new policy from the motoring organisation is part of its submission to the state government’s draft SA Road Safety Strategy to 2031.

“It is the perfect opportunity for people to refresh their knowledge and is helpful knowledge for the government because there are rules that drivers repeatedly don’t get right,” he said.

“A lot can happen and change in the many years after people first get their licences and their knowledge … is not monitored.”

Mr Mountain said the most common mistakes were understanding of the zip-merging road rule, keeping to the left on multi-lane roads, and indicating when leaving roundabouts.

Other proposed changes in the RAA submission include;

EDUCATION of motorists to protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, including learner driver training.

TEACHING international and interstate migrants to South Australia about local road rules, child restraints, licensing, registration and insurance.

VOLUNTEER supervising drivers funding to help disadvantaged learner drivers.

REHABILITATION school for repeat traffic offenders

Meanwhile, police and emergency services have begun filming a new campaign to reduce the shocking country road toll.

The Advertiser revealed last week that police statistics matching road crashes with the home address of the deceased show South Australian country people were twice as likely as urban dwellers to be killed in a car crash.

The campaign is being filmed over three days near Callington this week.

Film set of regional TV advert aimed at cutting the chances of being killed on country roads, on September 27th, 2021, at Rockleigh. Picture: Tom Huntley

Road Safety Minister Vincent Tarzia said SA Police’s newest road safety campaign was a crucial initiative to save regional lives.

Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said research conducted by SAPOL’s Media Road Safety Unit found regional people falsely believed it was city people who mainly died on regional roads.

“While only 30 per cent of South Australia’s population lives in regional or rural areas, an alarming 70 per cent of deaths happen on regional roads,’’ he said.

“These ads will demonstrate the devastating effects of the Fatal Five when driving in regional and rural areas and urge drivers to make life saving decisions on the road, whether they’re a local or a visitor.”

Originally published as SA drivers should retake road rules tests before renewing licence, RAA says