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From our homes to yours, Barbara and I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you all for the support you have shown our fledgling business. Stay safe, happy and healthy and we look forward to seeing you again in 2020.

After a couple weeks without it, the Automatic car is back on the road. With a big thanks to Phipps Smash repairers who had it ready before the date they gave me. So as of Monday we will be getting back in to all those auto lessons which have been put on hold. I will be on holidays from the end of next week, but I have opened up Barbara’s calendar for auto lessons so if you’re looking for a lesson booking there are plenty available.

Well Barbara has continued to get me more and more organised, last week we got our new shirts and gift cards, this week the signage has arrived for our cars. Now not only will we be looking smart but so will the cars and our students will now be able to easily identify us when we arrive to pick them up from school or the train station.

Everyone knows you aren’t allowed to use your phone while driving, but unfortunately time and time again you see someone texting while they are driving. Attached is the official rules page from the road rules website.

A while ago the news reported that you should not use your phone tap and go app to purchase at the drive through window, I guess I’ll have to turn off my car before I can finalise my chicken purchase next time.

Penalties

Using, touching or holding a mobile phone whilst driving = 3 demerit points and $400 fine.

Creating, sending or looking at a text message, video message, email or similar communication, whilst driving = 3 demerit points and $400 fine.Touching/holding includes resting on any part of the driver’s body (e,g lap).  It does not include held in a pocket of the driver’s clothing or in a pouch worn by the driver.

Driving includes being stationary with the motor running (e.g. waiting at stoplights, stopping roadside).

Whilst driving, you can only touch a mobile phone to receive and terminate a phone call if the phone is secured in a mounting affixed to the vehicle. If the phone is not secured in a mounting, it can only be used to receive or terminate a phone call without touching it (e.g. using voice activation, a Bluetooth hands-free car kit, ear piece or headset).

Whilst driving, it is illegal to create, send or look at a text message, video message, email or similar communication, even when the phone is secured in a mounting or can be operated without touching it.

GPS may be used by a driver whilst driving if it is secured in a mounting and no touch of the keypad or screen is required.

Vehicle must be legally parked, with motor turned off, before a driver can legally hold a mobile phone.

One of my first students said something that I have never forgotten and have often repeated to my students over the past 6 years. On our way home after a lesson one day we came to the stop sign at the end of Riley Road in Mt Helena. As we stopped at the sign, once I reminded them had to, they said to me

“I don’t have to stop at stop signs once I’ve passed my PDA do I?”

“WHAT?, of course you do”

“Oh for goodness sake (maybe not their exact words but cleaned up for this purpose) there are so many things you have to remember when you’re driving!”

Well yes there are, its not a mindless auto pilot thing to do this driving caper (not what I answered) my actual reply “there is a big red sign, you don’t actually have to remember it”

As I said, I have often repeated this story and received many a chuckle from my students. Stop signs do seem to have become a suggestion to many people that I see when I am teaching these days but did you know that the penalty for not stopping at a stop sign is 3 demerit points and a $300 fine.

Below is the actual rule copied from the Drive Safe Handbook so you know what to teach your leaners.

‘STOP’ sign – stop and give way to traffic on or turning from the intersecting road.

Stop at the line marked across the road before ‘STOP’ signs. If you have to stop back from the line, stop again as close to the line as you can when you move forward.

If there is no line, stop as close to the intersection as practical but before entering it.

Give way to all traffic coming from the left or right, including turning vehicles.

In the image, YOU must give way to Car A and Car C. Car B must give way to YOU, Car A and Car C.

Drive Safe: A Handbook for Western Australian Road Users – Major Road Rules and Additional Safety Advice

Where two lanes merge into one (i.e. lane lines end) the vehicle in front has the right of way.

If there are dual lanes, and the lane you are in ends, give way to the vehicles in the lane you are moving into.

Remember:

• Always use your indicator to signal your intentions to other drivers when merging check your blindspot prior to making manoeurvre.
• Keep a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you and take turns to merge if there are long lines of merging traffic;
• You need to match the legal speed of the road you’re merging into.

Offence	Penalty	Demerits
Failing to give way when merging	$100	2
Failing to give way when changing lanes	$100	3

Entering the freeway

The new dotted lines on freeways and highways mean similar rules to ‘normal’ lane changes now apply.

When joining traffic on the freeway, motorists should:

• Get up to speed;
• Indicate their intention to join freeway traffic, check your blindspot ; and
• Move into the gap at the earliest and safest opportunity. Just like changing lanes.

Courtesy of the Road Safety Commission Website

It is with great pleasure that I would like to welcome Barbara Kelly as latest addition to Eastern Hills Driving School. Barbara has been an instructor for the past 3 years and has now decided to branch out and buy her own manual car to teach in.

Barbara will be available for manual lessons in her Hyundai Getz from 6 November and bookings can be made with her from today.

I think most of you know by now that Learners and P Platers are subject to a Zero alcohol level ruling, but did you know that as a supervisor you can also be breathalysed if you are driving with a Learner? I know I just about jumped out of my seat when the police knocked on the window for me to take the test the first time, “tip of the day – don’t hold your breath while the learner is blowing in the breathalyser like I do”. Below are some other vehicles/drivers to which the zero BAC applies.

What is the legal limit?

The amount of alcohol you are allowed to have in your body when you are driving will depend upon the type of vehicle(s) you are authorised to drive and the current status of your licence. The following information sets out the various BAC limits and when they apply. Drivers and riders should be aware these penalties may change from time to time.

Zero BAC applies to:

novice drivers – a person is a novice driver until they have held a licence for minimum two years or periods adding up to two years

drivers of hire and reward vehicles (I don’t hire many cars but I wasn’t aware of this rule, check with the hire company next time you hire a car)

drivers of passenger vehicles with capacity to carry more than 12 adult passengers

drivers of certain heavy vehicles

drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods

extraordinary licence holders

recently disqualified drivers

The zero BAC limit for certain drivers may not apply at all times. Please visit http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/dvs for further information on when a driver must have a BAC limit of zero.

0.05 BAC applies to: All other drivers.

Important: All novice drivers are subject to a zero blood alcohol limit. Supervising drivers are subject to blood alcohol content levels and a prohibition on illicit drugs in their system when supervising a learner driver. These are the same requirements that apply to the supervisor if they were driving the vehicle. You are responsible for ensuring that you do not exceed any BAC levels

Penalties – drivers

• Failing to give way to a pedestrian at a designated crossing = 3-4 demerit points and $300 fine
• Failing to give way to a pedestrian at an intersection = 3 demerit points and $300 fine
• Failing to give way to a pedestrian when entering a road = 3 demerit points and $200 fine
• Failing to give way to a pedestrian when exiting a road = 3 demerit points and $300 fine

Penalties – pedestrians

• Crossing on a red light at an intersection = $50 fine
• Motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians have a joint responsibility to share the road respectfully and safely.
• Pedestrians are vulnerable road users, so extra care is needed from all road users (including pedestrians themselves) to keep them safe.  
• Drivers should give way to pedestrians:

• when turning;
• when making a U-turn;
• at all intersections and stop signs;
• slip lane with a ‘stop’ sign or ‘stop’ line.

Pedestrian crossings are marked by white or yellow stripes on the road and are usually marked by a sign. Drivers should approach a pedestrian crossing at a speed which makes it easy to stop safely if needed.  

Pedestrians crossing at traffic lights must obey the signals. If a traffic control signal shows a steady or flashing red pedestrian light, and you have not already started to cross, then you must not do so until the pedestrian light changes to green. If the red pedestrian light starts to flash once you’ve stepped off the kerb onto the road, continue to cross.

Roundabouts are one of those areas that a lot of people are unsure of when they learn to drive so below is an excerpt from the Department of Transports Website for all of those of you who may be confused

When entering a roundabout, always give way to any vehicles already in the roundabout and those entering to the right of you. On multi-lane roundabouts, obey the directional arrows on the road.

Turning left

On approach, indicate left from the left lane. Stay in the left lane and exit the roundabout from this lane.

Driving straight ahead

You don’t need to indicate on approach.  Enter in either the left or right lane, stay in and exit from the same lane. If practicable, indicate left when you’ve passed the last exit before the one you intend to use. 

Turning right or making a full turn

On approach, indicate right from the right lane.  Stay in the right lane and exit the roundabout from this lane. If practicable, indicate left when you’ve passed the last exit before the one you intend to use.

You can change lanes within a roundabout, but you must indicate and give way to other vehicles.