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Canberra Today 15°/17° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Simon moves to protect the Segway riders

segway crop

SIMON Corbell is legislating today to create more aggravated driving provisions and protect vulnerable road users, including Segway riders.

“The Road Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2014 was created in response to concerns raised by the Director of Public Prosecutions about the need for an aggravated version of the offence of furious, reckless or dangerous driving”, Simon said.

“The Bill provides for a higher maximum penalty where a person is convicted of the offence when an aggravating factor is present.

“It also, for the first time, defines what constitutes a vulnerable road user, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, riders of animals, users of motorised scooters and users of segways.”

The aggravating factors for the offence introduced by the Bill are:

  • failing to comply with a request or signal given by a police officer to stop the vehicle;
  • driving while intoxicated;
  • driving at a speed that exceeded the speed limit by more than 30%;
  • being a repeat offender;
  • driving with a person younger than 17 years old in the vehicle; or
  • driving in a way that put at risk the safety of a vulnerable road user.

The maximum penalty for the offence of furious, reckless or dangerous driving where an aggravating factor is present will be 200 penalty units, imprisonment for two years or both. In addition, the person’s driver licence will be automatically disqualified for at least 12 months. The maximum penalty for the offence without an aggravating factor in the ACT remains at 100 penalty units, imprisonment for one year or both.

A penalty unit in the ACT is currently $140 dollars so the maximum fine will now be a stonking $28,000.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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