NSW drivers have been advised that the road rules requiring drivers to slow down to 40 kilometres per hour (km/h) when passing stationary emergency vehicles are to be changed this week.
The Ministers for Roads, Andrew Constance and Paul Toole said that as of this Thursday (26 September) drivers will no longer need to slow down to 40 km/h on roads with speed limits of 90km/h or over.
Mr Constance said drivers were still required to slow down to 40km/h on roads with speed limits of 80km/h or less and that the rule had been expanded to include tow trucks and breakdown assistance vehicles.
He said 926 infringements had been issued during the 12-month trial of the rule which was aimed at keeping emergency service workers safe while working by the roadside.
“We’ve monitored the impact of the rule over the past year and taken on board feedback from the public and stakeholders about the trial,” Mr Constance said.
“We’re now implementing changes to make the rule safer for everyone.”
Mr Toole said the changes were about slowing down safely and avoiding unsafe practices like hard braking.
“If you are driving on roads 90km/h or over you will need to consider how close you are to the stationary vehicle and slow to a safer speed and give as much space to the vehicle as you can.”
He said that in the five years from 2014 to 2018 around 85 per cent of crashes where emergency service vehicles were stopped at the roadside happened in 80km/h speed zones and below.
Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Corboy said Police had also adjusted their practices so that officers stop in safer locations which are more visible to approaching drivers.
He said new advance warning signs were being designed for use by emergency services.
“We need to provide a safe working environment for our police officers, whose job it is to enforce the road rules, in an effort to improve driver behaviour and drive down the road toll,” Mr Corboy said.
