South Australia Police have released a video of a high-speed motorcycle crash in an effort to vindicate tougher new penalties for extreme speed offences.
They say the video was released at the request of the rider’s wife.
“This motorcyclist filmed his own crash – the crash that put him in a coma for two months, gave him a permanent brain injury and put him in full time care for the rest of his life,” SA Police say.
“The man’s wife allowed us to use this video because she wants you to see what happens when you drive or ride at extreme speed.”
South Australia has now introduced laws to Parliament that increase the penalties for extreme speeding.
Extreme speed is defined as driving or riding at 55km/h or more above the limit in a zone marked 60 or less, or 80km/h or more above the speed limit in a zone marked above 60.
The rider in this video reached speeds way in excess of the threshold for “extreme speed”.
Motorists convicted of driving at an extreme speed could be jailed for up to three years and face a mandatory minimum two-year licence disqualification for a first offence.
For a subsequent offence, motorists face up to five years in jail and a mandatory minimum licence disqualification period of five years.
The maximum penalty can also apply in the following circumstances:
The offence was committed while attempting to escape a police pursuit;
The offending caused death or serious harm;
The vehicle driven was stolen;
The offender was driving while disqualified;
The offender was on a provisional or probationary licence, a learner’s permit or unlicensed; and
The offender was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The car of an offender may also be forfeited to the state.
Police say the rider who ploughed into the back of the ute at about 140km/h survived thanks to a witnesses who called the ambulance and took instructions about how to resuscitate the man.
The rider will now need full-time care for the rest of his life.
“His decision to ride at extreme speed did not just impact him,” police say.
“It impacted the lives of those strangers who kept him alive on the road and forever changed the lives of his family.”
Ross works with the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) at the Queensland University of Technology in the areas of both motorcycle safety and safety at roadworks.
Here is his take on roadworks speed limits:
Readers’ comments on the article offer a range of perspectives, some of which seem highly speculative. The article also makes a couple of potentially misleading points.
One of these is that roadwork speed limits in the US are only advisory. Although ‘work zone’ traffic management does vary across the many US jurisdictions, the country has produced comprehensive research and guidelines on work zone speed enforcement (see NCHRP Report 746) and has both regulatory and advisory limits. Highways in the US typically have many more lanes than Australian roads and the additional road space often allows more moderate speed limit reductions than required in Australia where roads are narrower. The US approach doesn’t achieve safe outcomes, with a current yearly average of around 600 fatal work zone traffic crashes according to NHTSA data.
In the UK, the trialling and subsequent approval of 55 – 60mph (~100km/h) highway roadwork speed limits applies, according to Highways England, to situations ‘where they could be safely implemented’. These situations include specific scenarios and conditions, including implementing the higher limits for non-workdays and when no workers are present. They are not default limits for highway roadworks. While higher speed limits can be expected to produce greater compliance, this does not necessarily lead to greater safety. As noted in the TRL report on this issue, selection of roadwork speed limits ‘should be made on a case-by-case basis’. Calls for uniformity in roadwork speed limits are understandable. However, uniform limits would logically be set low to address the highest potential risk scenarios. This conflicts with other calls for flexibility, where different speed limits may be applied as appropriate to specific conditions.\
Australia
In Australia, highway roadwork speed limits are typically progressive, with initial warning signs (e.g. Roadwork Ahead/Reduce Speed) placed at least several hundred metres upstream of (before) a work area, followed by speed limit reductions down to 60km/h, and in some situations 40km/h. A 40km/h speed limit will only normally apply on high speed roads where there are no barriers in place and when workers may be operating close to the live traffic lane. Otherwise, the typical reduced speed limit on highways will be 60km/h. There would be very few, if any, situations where an immediate 100 to 40km/h speed reduction is applied without prior warning at roadworks. However, poor compliance with reduced speed limits on approach to work areas indicates that many motorists either fail to see or do not respond adequately to warnings and speed reduction requests. As noted in a 2017 Austroads Report, this is a source of downstream traffic conflicts and a major factor in rear-end crashes which are the most common roadwork crash types. Tailgaiting doesn’t help.
The issue of roadwork speed limits at unattended and apparently inactive sites (and associated complacency among motorists) is one that has attracted considerable research attention and of which road authorities are acutely aware. From a safety perspective, there are several important issues here. One is that the task of installing and removing signage is in itself a high risk activity for traffic controllers – this is a situation where workers are known to have been killed or injured, such that in many cases it may be considered safer overall to leave signage in place. Reduced speed limits may also be left in place at inactive sites where conditions may be hazardous. The most obvious for motorcyclists may be loose or rough surfaces, but there are other potential hazards such as altered delineation, lane width and lack of line markings, for example. Speed reductions may also be left in place for some time after the completion of work to allow loose aggregate to be embedded in newly laid asphalt by passing traffic. While a roadwork site may not present any apparent hazards for some road users, numerous serious and fatal crashes do occur at inactive sites.
We all want better roads, for our safety as well as our enjoyment. Improvement and maintenance of this infrastructure unfortunately involves some disruption and inconvenience, for motorcyclists as well as other road users. I wonder if some of the people complaining about road conditions are also among those who complain about roadworks. Current arrangements and traffic control measures are far from perfect, but work is ongoing in Australia and elsewhere to improve the safety, efficiency, and management of roadwork operations. Driving or riding through roadworks sometimes causes delays, which can usually be anticipated and managed with a little preparation. Working on roads is a high-risk occupation and those involved have a right to return home safely at the end of the day, just as all road users do, including motorcyclists.
While some riders may not like the hi-tech TruCAM II radar gun’s ability to more accurately measure speed, the device could also be considered a friend of the motorcyclist.
Features which may appeal are its ability to target tailgaters, aggressive drivers, distracted driving and vehicles obstructing traffic.
Distracted drivers are one of our most hated motorists
So why aren’t they used more for these offences, rather than just speeding offences?
We asked police and transport departments in several states for statistics on offences from TruCAM II units and were either told the figures were not available or would take days/weeks to acquire.
We will update this article if they ever arrive.
TruCAM II
Many police departments now have TruCAM II devices but some don’t divulge their technology.
Victoria Police said they do not use the devices which cost about $A36,000 (£20,000, $US25,000) per unit.
While the units could be a friend to riders, more often than not they seem to be their foe.
Some of their abilities specifically target riders including its “rear-plate mode” which measures the speed of an approaching motorcycle (or other vehicle with a missing or obscured front plate) and tracks it as it passes so that it captures the number plate.
The images are highly accurate to 150m and at speeds up to 320km/h.
Manufacturers Laser Technology Inc (LTI) say the device will detect any vehicle, capturing its make, model and registration plate.
LTI claim the cost of the device is justified by providing better proof of an offence so officers are not required to front court when a fine is challenged.
Other features include:
Differentiating speeding motorcycles and other vehicles in heavy traffic, including when lane filtering/splitting;
Automatically capturing images in a fixed distance, such as school and construction zones;
Auto focus, iris and shutter speed for clear number plate images up to 150m away;
Enforcing multiple speed limits on the same highway and distinguishing between commercial and private vehicles;
Allowing enforcement at night or within tunnels;
Capturing vehicles misusing bus, transit or car pool lanes;
Detecting vehicles obstructing traffic;
Measuring the speed, traveling time and distance between two vehicles for “Following Too Closely” or “tailgating” violations; and
Detecting drivers and passengers not wearing seat belts.
Since the system’s clarity can detect seat belt infringements it may also pick up riders who have not done up their helmet chin strap.
LTI say TruCAM II also has built-in detection algorithms to combat laser jammers. (Western Australia is the only state in Australia that allows radar detectors.)
LTI have sold more than 6000 photo/video lasers to more than 90 countries.
Riders should have input into more than $35 million in roadworks being planned for one of South East Queensland’s most popular motorcycling routes, says a rider representative.
The Queensland Government will spend the money on improving the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road, sometimes jokingly referred to as the “Hinze Raceway” as it’s popular with riders and passes by the Hinze Dam.
The road has also been used in many motorcycle product launches such as the Suzuki Katana launch last year.
Wide centreline marking from Beaudesert–Nerang Road to Latimers Crossing Road;
Dedicated right turns into Parkway Drive and Tangara Road at Advancetown; and
Other works being considered include shoulder or road widening, improved signs and rubrail, and/or guardrail at various locations along the 36km stretch of road.
Rider input
Motorcycle crash on the Nerang-Murwillumbah Rd
However, Australian Motorcycle Council secretary John Eacott is calling on rider input for improvements to the road which records frequent motorcycle accidents.
He says there is “very little detail” at the moment.
“We would expect that BG&E (the Queensland comp[any contracted to perform the work) would contact and consult with motorcyclists during their design phase,” John says.
“Too often the sharp end of road users are overlooked, and no real improvements result to benefit the most vulnerable road user group: riders!”
However, if you have any suggestions, we would be happy to pass them on to TMR.
The road has already had some upgrades and was one of the first in the state with flexible Chevroflex signs (top image) that prevent rider injures and deaths if hit.
Work is expected to start next year.
We have two major concerns.
One is that the “wide centreline marking” means even less chance to overtake slow traffic, leading to frustration and dangerous passing manoeuvres.
The other is that — like so many other improved roads — they will make it much smoother and safer … and then reduce the speed limit even further!
They have vowed to increase their presence and revert to their mobile speed camera program which had been temporarily suspended during the lockdown.
Inspector Peter Flanders says: “The bottom line is if you are on a motorcycle, you are that vehicle’s airbag. If you get hit or if you hit something it is you who takes the force.”
A total of 91 lives have been lost on Queensland roads in the first five months of 2020, up from 84 at the same time last year with 23 rider and pillion fatalities.
“Motorcyclists were highly represented in the figures, with one in four of all fatalities either motorcycle riders or passengers,” Police media says.
Stats by state
Australian statistics
It sounds like a lot, but it’s not unusual. The proportion of rider lives lost compared with total fatalities is much the same as previous years and is only three above the five-year average.
Meanwhile, the national trend shows rider deaths decreasing.
To the end of April, there were 186 deaths on motorcycles, which is actually the lowest it’s been over the past 10 years.
Victoria has had 12 rider/pillion deaths to the end of May compared with 27 last year, down a whopping 56%, probably due to the lockdown.
Likewise, NSW has had 18 deaths so far compared with 24 last year and the 24 five-year average.
South Australia is also down from 11 last year to nine, although the five-year average is five.
Speed target
In Queensland, police will target speeding as a response to the statistically anomalous spike in motorcycle road deaths.
Road Policing Command Superintendent David Johnson says motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injury than drivers and passengers in any other motor vehicle on our roads.
“Excess speed and loss of control are contributing factors in many traffic crashes involving motorcycles, so we really need riders to take responsibility and ride at speeds relative to the conditions and the posted speed limit,” he says.
However, we note several crashes so far this year involving unlicensed riders, stolen bikes, riders fleeing police, and riders hit by cars at intersections and on the wrong side fo the road.
With riders grounded in most states by the travel restrictions it almost seems pointless that some states have double demerits applying over the Easter long weekend.
The “pointless points” start this morning and will end at midnight on Monday 13 April 2020 in NSW, the ACT and Western Australia.
In NSW, they’re calling it Operation Tortoise and point out that holiday travel is not allowed as it is not “essential” during the pandemic lockdown.
The only time you could be fined on your motorcycle in NSW this Easter is if you are speeding to the supermarket to get another bag of Doritos or in your rush to get the doctor!
Be aware that one high-range speeding offence could be enough to get your licence suspended for several months under double demerit points.
Note that double demerit points are separate to any on-the-spot fines for disobeying a stay-at-home directive.
Double demerits danger
In “normal times”, riders from Victoria, Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australiapassing through NSW, ACT or WA during any declared holiday period do not cop the double demerits.
With borders now closed, that’s not possible anyway.
However, Queensland riders should note that double-demerit points are effectively in place all year round.
The law in Queensland is that double points do apply to speeding offences of 21km/h or greater over the speed limit and seatbelt offences if they occur more than once within a 12 month period.
If you incur the penalty in another state, it still applies as if it happened in Queensland.
“For example if you commit two speeding offences of driving 21km/h over the speed limit in a 12 month period, you will be allocated four demerit points for the first offence and four demerit points for the second offence plus an additional four demerit points,” he says.
“This means that you will have accumulated 12 demerit points within a 12 month period and you risk having your licence suspended.”
How demerit points are recorded
Double points apply in NSW and ACT over the Australia Day weekend, Easter, Anzac Day, Queen’s Birthday, Labour Day and Christmas/New Year.
In WA, the double points apply on Australia Day (unless it falls on a week day), Labour Day, Easter, Anzac Day (unless it falls on a week day), Western Australia Day, Queen’s Birthday, and Christmas/New Year.
If a rider in another state commits a traffic offence in a state during a double-demerit period, the offence is recorded as a double demerit offence on their traffic history in the state where the offence happened.
The state licensing authority will then report the offence to the transport department in your state who will record the offence on your traffic history.
However, the double points will only apply in Queensland under the circumstances described above.
Choice of penalty
Stephen says that if you have committed a traffic offence recently and you receive a Queensland Transport notice that you have accumulated your allowed demerits, you will have a choice of a good driving behaviour period or a licence suspension for a period.
“When considering whether to agree to a good behaviour driving behaviour period and a licence suspension, it is important that a licence holder understands that accepting a suspension of their licence may preclude them from making an Application for a Special Hardship Order or an Application for a Restricted (Work) Licence for the next five years,” he warns.
If you are unsure about how many demerit points you have, you can search your record online at your state’s transport department website or call them and request a copy of your traffic history.
Queensland Police have charged a man with dangerous operation of a motorcycle after the night rider was videoed riding at more than three times the limit earlier this week.
They have now released the Polair video of the incident in north Brisbane which shows the bike going through a fast foot outlet and speeding through streets on Tuesday night (31 March 2020).
Officers seized the 34-year-old Narangba man’s motorcycle for 90-days.
Night rider
Police will allege around 9pm officers were patrolling Anzac Avenue in Kallangur when they were overtaken by a motorbike travelling at high speed.
It is alleged the night rider turned into the drive thru of a fast food outlet where he bent the number plate, so it was not visible, before riding off.
Police attempted to intercept the motorcycle however the rider failed to stop, “speeding off with the front wheel rising into the air”.
The officers last saw him riding west along Anzac Avenue.
The motorcycle is alleged to have sped past another police vehicle on the same road which detected it travelling at 191km/h in a 60 zone.
The motorcycle was tracked by Polair1 with police intercepting it in Thomas Street, Narangba a short time later.
The male rider returned a positive roadside drug test and was conveyed to North Lakes Police Station where he was issued with a notice to appear in the Petrie Magistrates Court on July 6 for evade police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and drug driving.
If you have information for police, contactPolicelinkon131 444or provide information using theonline form24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously toCrime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling1800 333 000or viacrimestoppersqld.com.au24hrs per day.
A 22-year-old man wanted for 55 traffic offences including several for speeds of more than 150km/h in Brisbane’s northern suburbs has finally been nabbed.
Watch the Queensland Police video below of several occasions where the rider is spotted by police who give up the chase for public safety reasons when he speeds off.
He is also seen dangerously lane splitting at high speed through the city’s tunnels.
Police allege the rider is a “prolific high-speed motorcycle rider committing numerous life-endangering offences”.
He was finally arrested on 2 January 2020 when an off-duty Road Policing Investigations Unit officer spotted his motorcycle, a Suzuki GSX-R600 with the stolen plate, “RUNIT”, in an Alderly hotel carpark.
The RPIU is a specialised unit who identify and track prolific and recidivist traffic offenders “whose manner of driving is a clear danger to other road users, as well as themselves”.
It also identifies and locates vehicles and drivers committing serious criminal offences using our road networks, such as drug couriers and property crime offenders.
Police will allege the Suzuki was used in more than 50 speeding offences in and around Brisbane between October and December 2019.
Since identification may be part of the rider’s defence, he cannot be named at this stage.
When arrested, the 22-year-old Stafford Heights man was in possession of a backpack which was found to allegedly contain methylamphetamine and a set of scales, as well as 13 Queensland and New South Wales driver licences, four Australian passports and one UK passport and 13 Medicare cards.
Backpack contents
He also allegedly had possession of another cloned registration plate for the same make and model of his motorbike.
The man was subjected to a Roadside Drug Test which police allege returned a positive result.
The RPIU charged the man with 36 offences and issued him with 55 traffic infringement notices for speeding, as well as impounding his motorcycle for forfeiture.
Offences include:
1 count of possess dangerous drugs exceeding Schedule 2
1 count of possess property suspected of being used in a drug offence
1 count of drug driving
1 count of tainted property (stolen registration plate)
2 counts of evade police
2 counts of disqualified driving
4 counts of unlicensed driving
6 counts of unregistered vehicle
6 counts of uninsured vehicle
6 counts of false plates
1 count of possess item purporting to be a registration plate (that is, a “cloned” plate)
2 counts of fail to stop at red light
2 counts of disobeying the speed limit
1 count of breach a domestic violence order
He is due to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on February 3.
The 55 speeding infringement notices are for allegedly exceeding the speed limit in the tunnels, Brisbane streets, as well as on the Bruce Highway, including 30 high-speed offences where his alleged speed was more than 40km/h over the speed limit.
The highest alleged speeds were on three occasions when the motorcycle was detected travelling at 178, 175 and 172km/h in a 100 zone on the Gympie Arterial Road, Bald Hills. The Suzuki was also allegedly detected travelling at 155, 149 and 147km/h in an 80 zone in the Airport Link Tunnel, Wooloowin.
Investigations by the Gateway Property Crime team continue with the man also charged with five counts of tainted property and one count of obtaining or dealing with identity information.
He will, also face these charges when he appears in court next month.
High-speed offences
Acting Superintendent Flanders , Operations Commander, Road Policing Command, his team of “highly skilled investigators” can monitor, identify and locate drivers engaged in dangerous behaviour.
Late last year RPIU officers analysing high-speed camera detections focused attention on a motorcycle speeding at 205km/h in a 70 zone on Sandgate Road, Boondall, at 10.50pm on 10 April 2019.
“This speed was almost three times the limit and was clearly extremely dangerous driving behaviour. There is no margin for error when travelling at speeds more suited to a racetrack than a suburban road,” he says.
The unit identified the vehicle from speed camera images and on 12 September 2019 they searched a Taigum home where they found the jacket and helmet worn by the rider in the camera image.
A 27-year-old Taigum man was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle (with a high-speed circumstance of aggravation).
He pleaded guilty in Sandgate Magistrates Court on 8 November 2020 and received a 12-month licence disqualification and 15 months’ probation.
Double demerit points apply from Friday (20 December 2019) in NSW, the ACT and Western Australia, affecting licensed riders not only in those states, but also Queensland.
The penalty period lasts until January 1 (inclusive) in NSW and ACT and January 5 in WA where one rider copped a hefty 14 demerit points and $1200 fine over the Western Australia Day long weekend in June 2019.
Traffic Enforcement Group officers tweeted the above photo of the fine after nabbing the rider at more than 120km/h in an 80km/h zone in Ravenswood.
Police noted on the fine that the rider told them: “She (his bike) was flooding and gurgling; just gave it a blat”.
His licence was suspended for three months.
Double points danger
Riders from Victoria, Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australia passing through NSW, ACT or WA during any declared holiday period do not cop the double demerits.
However, Queensland riders should note that in certain circumstances they do apply.
The law in Queensland is that double points do apply to speeding offences of 21km/h or greater over the speed limit and seatbelt offences if they occur more than once within a 12 month period.
“For example if you commit two speeding offences of driving 21km/h over the speed limit in a 12 month period, you will be allocated four demerit points for the first offence and four demerit points for the second offence plus an additional four demerit points,” he says.
“This means that you will have accumulated 12 demerit points within a 12 month period and you risk having your licence suspended.”
How demerit points are recorded
Double points apply in NSW and ACT over the Australia Day weekend, Easter, Anzac Day, Queen’s Birthday, Labour Day and Christmas/New Year.
In WA, the double points apply on Australia Day (unless it falls on a week day), Labour Day, Easter, Anzac Day (unless it falls on a week day), Western Australia Day, Queen’s Birthday, and Christmas/New Year.
If a rider in another state commits a traffic offence in a state during a double-demerit period, the offence is recorded as a double demerit offence on their traffic history in the state where the offence happened.
The state licensing authority will then report the offence to the transport department in your state who will record the offence on your traffic history.
However, the double points will only apply in Queensland under the circumstances described above.
Choice of penalty
Stephen says that if you have committed a traffic offence recently and you receive a Queensland Transport notice that you have accumulated your allowed demerits, you will have a choice of a good driving behaviour period or a licence suspension for a period.
“When considering whether to agree to a good behaviour driving behaviour period and a licence suspension, it is important that a licence holder understands that accepting a suspension of their licence may preclude them from making an Application for a Special Hardship Order or an Application for a Restricted (Work) Licence for the next five years,” he warns.
If you are unsure about how many demerit points you have, you can search your record online at your state’s transport department website or call them and request a copy of your traffic history.
But don’t worry! The smart alert signs are not designed to issue speeding tickets, says TWM spokesmen Chris Rayner. At least for now!
“It’s purely advisory,” he assures us.
“It’s to aid riders or drivers and alert them to the potential dangers ahead. What you can do is have a function to record the activity along the road, traffic counts, speeds etc.”
The sign will display the rider’s speed and an alert such as SLOW DOWN, or CRASH SITE and flash amber LEDs.
When the vehicle then slows down and the speed falls below the secondary threshold limit, the sign displays THANK YOU with the real-time speed.
For example, a motorcycle could easily handle a corner at a higher speed than a sports car which would be better than an SUV which would be better than a truck…!
Chris says the signs would allow the authorities to monitor the impact of approach speeds.
“The averages and 85th percentiles will all be calculated so further measures can be put in place if needed,” he says.
Our concern is that this could lead lower speed limits!
“We have been doing similar signage for various dangers, hazards and speed indication since 2002,” Chris says.
“I’m a biker myself and we have been supplying Isle of Man with some of our DayBright units for enhanced pedestrian crossings … I’m speaking to them to see if the crash site (sign) is something they could utilise as well.”
While the signs may be advisory now, we wonder how long before authorities use them to issue speeding tickets!
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Motorcycle crash on the Nerang-Murwillumbah Rd
John Eacott at Beechmont
Australian statistics
