Bicycle & Road Safety Education

The official launch of the Central Coast Lifetime Learning Centre (CCLLC) was held on Tuesday 21 August 2007 and was attended by representatives from Federal, State and Local Government as well as Central Coast cycling clubs, other interested community groups and the Principals of Primary schools throughout the Hunter region.

The CCLLC has been made possible by funding from Gosford City Council, Wyong Shire Council, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) and the Department of Transport and Regional Services (DoTARS).

CARES Program

One of the main activities carried out at the CCLLC is the CARES (Community and Road Education Scheme) Bicycle Education Program. This Program is conducted by Bicycle Police and is designed to educate Year 4, 5 & 6 students about bicycle safety and maintenance, increase skill development and increase awareness of general road rules.

The CARES Program has been promoted to all Primary schools in the Upper and Lower Hunter region and the cost of attending the Program is $4 per child. The CARES Program will be conducted from Monday to Thursday of each week, leaving Friday to Sunday available for use by the wider community.

If you would like to book into the CARES Bicycle Education Program please contact the Bicycle Police on 4362 8340.

Community Use

Community use, using both the indoor and outdoor areas of the CCLLC, may include motorised scooter workshops for seniors and cycling skills courses for adults. The indoor classroom space will be available to community and Council to host a variety of road safety related meetings and workshops eg. Central Coast Cycling Club AGM, 'Helping Learner Drivers become Safer Drivers' workshops and 'Safer Senior Drivers' workshops.

If you would like to book the CCLLC for your community meeting, workshop or event please contact the CCLLC on 4362 8340. The cost of hire is $40/day.

Address: 13 Palmdale Rd, PALMDALE

General Opening Hours: 7am-3pm Mon-Thurs (CARES Education Programs ONLY)

As required Mon-Thurs (after 5pm - Community use)

As required Fri - Sun (Community use)

School Holiday Hours: As required Mon-Sun (Community use)

Cycleways

For information about Council's cycleways and bike lockers visit the Central Coast Cycling Guide website.

Central Coast Liquor Accords

Liquor Accords in NSW are industry-based partnerships working within local communities to introduce practical solutions to liquor related problems.

There are three Liquor Accords in the Gosford LGA:

The Liquor Accord is an agreement between licensees, Gosford Council and local Police aimed at:

• responsible service of alcohol
• improved safety and security
• commitment to being a good neighbour, and
• co-operation with all accord stakeholders, including Police and the community to improve local outcomes

The three Liquor Accords in the Gosford LGA began in 2007 and are committed to reducing problems associated with drunken and anti-social behaviour.

The Accords have already implemented a 'Supply Means Supply' campaign on the dangers and legalities of supplying alcohol to under 18's and Council have provided drink driving posters and bar runners to licenced premises in effort to educate about the risks of drink driving crashes on our roads. The Accords have also discussed ways in which to educate patrons about the 'fail to quit' laws.

If you would like to join either of the Accords or attend the next meeting please contact Councils Road Safety Officer on 4325 8808.

Child Restraints

Child restraints provide excellent protection for children involved in crashes.

• Always use an approved child restraint displaying the Australian Standards sticker.
• Don't carry your child in your arms. In a crash you won't be able to hold onto your child. He or she will be thrown around the vehicle interior or thrown out of the vehicle.
• Keep your child in a rearward-facing restraint until he or she physically won't fit. The same applies to a forward facing child seat.
• Before moving to a forward-facing child seat, your child must be able to sit and easily hold their head upright.

Gosford City Council provide free child restraint checking vouchers to all residents. The voucher enables you to have your child restraint checked for free by three licenced providers on the Central Coast. The check includes advice on correct installation and correct choice of car seat for your childs height and weight. The locations include:

• Safe Travel Solutions Gosford
• Childsafe Wyong
• Woy Woy Car Radio

If you would like to receive a Voucher please contact Council's Road Safety Officer on 4325 8808 for more information.

Wearing seat belts can save the lives of all drivers and passengers.

Drink Driving, Speed & Fatigue

Council works together with local Police campaigns targeting drink driving, speed & fatigue in the community. Council supports these enhanced enforcement programs by providing newspaper advertising, media releases, distribution of posters to licenced premises, erection of billboards showing appropriate road safety messages and distribution of education resources at local events.

Council also participates in the Niagara Park Traffic Offenders Program, conducting a 1.5hr talk on road safety issues for recent traffic offenders who will be facing court over their offence. Other organizations involved in the Traffic Offenders Program include:

• Police
• Ambulance
• Solicitors
• Drug & Alcohol Workers

Learner and Novice Drivers

Council conducts a free " safer drivers workshop" for the parents and supervisors of Learner Drivers.

Gosford and Wyong Councils jointly conduct the 2 hour workshop which is funded by the RTA.

There are 3 workshops held each year. For further information, telephone (02) 4325 8808.

The workshops are designed to help you with practical advice about:

• Supervising learner drivers
• Completing the Learner Driver Log Book, and
• Providing on-road driving practice

Getting your Licence

To get a full driver’s licence in NSW, you need to complete the following three licensing stages:

• Learner licence (L-plates) for a minimum of 12 months.
• Provisional P1 licence (red P-plates) for a minimum of 12 months.
• Provisional P2 licence (green P-plates) for a minimum of 2 years.

To move through these licence stages you need to pass the following tests:

• The computer based Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) to gain a learner licence (45 multiple choice questions)
• The on-road Driving Ability Road Test (DART) to gain a P1 licence (45 minutes duration)
• The computer based Hazard Perception Test (HPT) to gain a P2 licence. This is a computer simulated exercise testing your ability to react to hazards within the road environment
• The computer based Driver Qualification Test (DQT) to gain a full licence. This test consists of both multiple choice questions and another computer simulated exercise of the road environment.

Required Reading Material

Before each test you must study the relevant handbook. These include:

• For the DKT - Road Users Handbook and online practice
• For DART - A Guide To DART
• For the HPT - Hazard Perception Handbook
• For DQT - The Driver Qualification Handbook

A Guide to the Driving Test is also another valuable resource. All of these Handbooks are available from your local RTA Motor Registry http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=motorregistries.form

New Licence Conditions - from 1 July 2007

For more information on the new licence conditions for Learner Drivers, P1 and P2 licence holders please visit the RTA website http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/gettingalicence/200707_restrictions.html

Youth Road Safety Education

On 8, 9 & 10 May 2007, Westmead Hospital and NRMA Motoring & Services held it's annual Youth and Road Trauma Forum which was open to students in Years 10, 11 and 12 in all government and non government high schools in NSW and the ACT.

The Forum was attended by more than 10,000 students from 100 schools and provided an opportunity to participate in an exciting combination of demonstrations including crash dynamics and rescue, vehicle stopping distances and other active exhibits.

Why hold a Forum?

Youth are being severely injured and killed due to potentially preventable road crashes. The NSW statistics for 2005 for 17-25 year olds recorded 6,487 casualties of road trauma and 111 deaths. In 2004, young people held only 15 per cent of licenses, but they were involved in 28 per cent of crashes.

Forums like this one are important for providing youth with the resources to make more informed decisions in relation to road safety issues and assist them in developing strategies to cope with unforseen pressures of driving. This may include other road users travelling too close, road rage, dealing with your mates in the car and basically trying to do too many things at once while driving.

A variety of organisations on the Central Coast provide Highschool Road Safety education to students in Years 10, 11 and 12. These include:

• Central Coast Fire Brigades 'RescuEd Program' for Year 10 students
• 'Youth Driver Awareness Program' for Years 10, 11 and 12, coordinated and facilitated by a group of dedicated volunteers from a variety of road safety backgrounds
• Rotary provide a Youth Driver Awareness Program (RYDA) - A one day workshop targeting Year 11 students spanning over three weeks each year (http://www.rydacentralcoast.org.au/ryda_students.html)

If you would like further information on any of these programs please contact Councils Road Safety Officer on 4325 8808.

Parking Restrictions Around Schools

Council conducts an annual education campaign in regards to parking restrictions (including No Parking, No Stopping, Bus Zones and timed parking) around local primary schools on the Central Coast. The campaign aims to educate parents/carers so that parking restrictions are adhered to and zones are used effectively to ensure children's safety. Councils Road Safety Officer and Council Rangers work together to distribute educational information to the community and provide enforcement for parking restrictions at various times throughout the year.

From 21 May 2007 there has been an increase in the fines and demerit points for traffic and parking offences within school zones. New fines and demerit point increases include:

Viewing the Full RTA List

For a full list of the 130 offences for which fines and demerit points have increased within school zones please visit www.rta.nsw.gov.au/schoolzones or call 13 22 13.

Senior Drivers

For car drivers, annual medical reviews are required from 80 years of age and annual driving tests from 85 years of age.

This is to ensure that older drivers are physically and mentally fit and are able to continue driving competently and safely. Annual medical and driving tests begin for motorcyclists at the age of 70.

'A Guide for Older Drivers' is a useful education resource for drivers in this age group. The booklet is available from your local RTA Motor Registry http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=motorregistries.form It contains a self assessment quiz and advice about the Aged Driving Test.

Safer Senior Drivers Workshop

Council offers a FREE Workshop to all senior drivers on the Central Coast. It is a proactive approach to road safety and driving longevity for seniors. The 2 hour workshops are funded by the NRMA and focus on:

• Age-specific factors affecting driving ability
• Personalised advice on road rules
• Safe driving tips
• Vehicle safety
• Pedestrian safety
• Physical fitness
• driving and mobility alternatives

The informative and informal presentation features up-to-date statistics and video footage delivered by trained NRMA presenters from within the peer group. It provides a viable platform for driver behaviour change, increases the longevity of driving and encourage a stress free Aged Driving Test.

Gosford and Wyong Councils jointly conduct 3 Safer Senior Drivers workshops on the Central Coast each year. For more information, telephone 4325 8808.