Speeding is one of the major killers on Queensland roads.

On average 58 people are killed and 295 seriously injured each year on Queensland roads as a result of speed related crashes many of those hospitalised will suffer from the effects of their injuries for the rest of their lives.

‘Speeding’ refers to driving faster than the posted speed limit, and also means driving too fast for the prevailing conditions without considering the vehicle’s condition and capabilities or the driver’s skill and experience.

The facts

Around half of all serious speeding crashes happen at less than 10km/h above the speed limit2.

Just over 5km/h above the speed limit in urban areas (and 10km/h above in rural areas) is enough to double the risk of a casualty crash.

48% of Queensland drivers admit to speeding on more than half of their road trips3.

The faster you go, the harder you hit

The severity of injuries resulting from a crash, regardless of the cause, is directly related to the pre‐crash speed of the vehicle. When any vehicle crashes, three collisions happen:

1. The object

The first collision is with the object, whether it’s a pole or tree, another vehicle or person. As the vehicle crushes on impact, it absorbs some of the kinetic energy released, but not all.

Some of the kinetic energy (energy created by motion) is absorbed by the vehicle which is why the car is damaged, and some is transferred to the object hit.

2. The human

The second collision is when the human collides with the inside of the vehicle. At the moment of impact, passengers in the car are still travelling at the vehicle’s pre-crash speed. When the car comes to a complete stop, the passengers continue to move forward until they come into contact with some part of the vehicle – the windscreen, the steering wheel, the doors or the seat in front.

3. The internal organs

The final collision is the ‘internal’ collision of the organs within the human body. Even after the passenger has come to a complete stop within the vehicle, the internal organs are still moving, colliding with other organs and the skeletal system.

The faster you go, the greater your risk of a crash

The combined effects of reaction and braking times in both wet and dry conditions is illustrated below.

Figure 1. How long does it take to stop (driving and average car) – Chart showing relative speed and braking distances for dry and wet weather.

Figure 1 illustrates the combined effects of reaction and braking times in both dry and wet conditions.

Tips to avoid speeding

Regularly check your speed to ensure you are travelling within the posted speed limit. It can also be hard to accurately judge speed after travelling at a high speed for a period of time.

You may need to travel below the speed limit and increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front if the weather, traffic or road conditions are poor. Leave sufficient distance between you and the vehicle in front (usually more than a car length), and when travelling at higher speeds, increase the distance to allow at least two-four seconds so you have enough time to react and brake.

References

Department of Transport and Main Roads Qld. Unpublished data extracted 27 June 2018 using road casualty statistics 2013-2017.

The WTP social cost figures are provided in 2014 dollar value using the 2015 National Guidelines for Transport System Management in Australia.

Doecke, S., & Kloeden, C.N. (2014). The accuracy of determining speeding directly from mass crash data and using the NSW Centre for Road Safety method. Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety, 25(1), 35–41.

$1000 fines and 4 demerit points for mobile phone offences from 1 February 2020.

The penalties

From 1 February 2020, the penalties for illegally using a mobile phone while driving are a $1000 fine and 4 demerit points. This is to help deter people from this dangerous behaviour.

The fine and demerit points applies to all drivers who use their phone illegally including car, truck drivers and motorcycle riders.

Learner drivers will also lose their licence after just one mobile phone offence. P-platers can also lose their licence for a single offence.

Double demerit points apply for a second mobile phone offence in 12 months. This you will receive another $1000 fine and a further eight demerit points. This will cost most drivers their licence.

Bicycle riders will also be fined $1000 for illegally using a mobile phone while riding, but no demerit points will be issued.

The rules

The mobile phone rules have not changed.

It is illegal to hold your phone in your hand while driving. This includes to text, talk, call or perform any other function, even when you’re stopped at traffic lights. If you have an open or P2 licence you can use a phone hands-free, for example, in a cradle attached to the vehicle. However, you must have proper control of your vehicle and drive with due care and attention at all times.

However, it is illegal for learner and P1 drivers under 25 years old to use a phone in any way while driving. This includes using maps, Bluetooth and handsfree. Passengers of these drivers also cannot use phones on loudspeaker. For bicycle riders, it is illegal to use a phone in your hand while riding or stopped at the traffic lights.

However, you can use your phone hands-free or when it is in a cradle.

The message is clear – Leave your phone alone

Drivers and riders are encouraged to set up the Do Not Disturb While Driving function on their phones to help avoid using their phones.

Information on the new penalties the rules and how to set up the Do Not Disturb While Driving function on phones can be found on the Queensland Government’s StreetSmarts website at https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/driver-distraction/leave-your-phone-alone.

The facts

On average 25 people are killed and 1235 seriously injured each year on Queensland roads as a result of crashes where driver distraction played a part.1

However, the true extent to which distractions (including mobile phones) contribute to road crashes is likely to be higher because drivers may not admit to police they were distracted at the time of the crash. Using a mobile phone while driving multiplies your risk of a serious crash by four.2

Research shows using a mobile phone while driving can be as risky as drink driving.3

The unexpected can happen at any time – so even the smallest distraction can be deadly. Using a mobile phone when driving means taking your eyes and mind off the road – which can have serious consequences.

Even when your eyes are off the road for just two seconds, a vehicle moving at 60km/h travels more than 33 metres. The average person’s time to react to an event is 1.8 seconds.

This means nearly four seconds can pass before the average distracted driver can react to a hazard, increasing their risk of a serious crash.

This table shows the distance travelled in two seconds by a driver at various speeds.

Travel SpeedDistance

40 km/h22.22 metres

50 km/h27.78 metres

60 km/h33.33 metres

80 km/h44.44 metres

100 km/h55.56.metres

References

Data Analysis, Department of Transport and Main Roads QLD. Fatality data extracted. 27 June 2018 using road casualty statistics 2013-2017.

McEvoy, S., Stevenson, M., McCartt, A., Woodward, M., Haworth, C., Palamara, P. and Cercarelli, R. (2005). ‘Role of mobile phones in motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospital attendance: a case-crossover study’. BMJ 331: 428-30.

Stayer, D., Drews, F. and Crouch, D. (2006). ‘A comparison of the cell phone driver and the drunk driver.’ Human Factors 48(2): 381-91.

On Monday 29 March 2021, QLD Transport released a new hazard perception test to improve the road safety knowledge of some of our most at-risk groups. Good hazard perception can be the difference in avoiding a crash.

The changes include:

all learner licence holders will be required to pass the test before upgrading their licence

introducing a hazard perception test for motorcycle learner licence holders

improving the quality of the test clips with new computer-generated images.

Find out how the changes will affect you or the licence you want to apply for:

Learner licence

P1 licence

Motorcycle learner licence

Learner licence

From Monday 29 March 2021 all learner licence holders must pass the hazard perception test before upgrading their licence.

Once you have completed PrepL and have your learner licence, you will have to complete the following licence requirements to upgrade to unsupervised driving:

Hazard perception test

Learner logbook (for learner licence holders under 25 years)

Practical driving test

Before Thursday 1 July 2021 you can take the hazard perception test before or after your practical driving test.

Once you pass your driving test you’ll be keen to upgrade your licence.

Correct.

You can upgrade your licence on the same day as your driving test if:

You have passed the hazard perception test before your driving test.

and

The transport and motoring customer service centre is open for business after your driving test.

Incorrect.

You’ll need to come back another day to upgrade if:

You have not passed the hazard perception test before your driving test.

or

The transport and motoring customer service centre is not open for business after your driving test.

From Thursday 1 July 2021, you will need to pass the hazard perception test before you can take your practical driving test.

You will be eligible to take the hazard perception test after you’ve held your learner licence for 6 months. We’ll send you an email to let you know when you can take the test.

P1 licence

If you were issued a P1 licence before Monday 29 March, you are required to pass the hazard perception test before you can upgrade to a P2 or Open licence.

You need to hold your P1 licence for a minimum of 12 months before you will be eligible to take the hazard perception test. If you have an email address registered with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, we’ll send you an email to let you know when you can take the hazard perception test.

Motorcycle learner licence

QLD Transport have introduced a hazard perception test for motorcycle riders.

From Monday 29 March 2021, all motorcycle learner licence holders must pass the motorcycle hazard perception test before upgrading their licence.

Before Thursday 1 July 2021 you can choose to take the hazard perception test before or after your Q-Ride RE Course or RE practical riding test.

From Thursday 1 July 2021, you will need to pass the hazard perception test before you take the Q-Ride RE Course or RE practical riding test.

We recommend you get as much supervised practise in as possible, but you can take the hazard perception test at any time during your learner period. The Q-Ride RE Course or RE practical driving test can only be taken after you have held your learner licence for 3 months.

Changes to the hazard perception test

The hazard perception test was originally introduced in 2008 and featured real life footage containing hazards. This test has been a useful road safety tool, but it was time to modernise it. As part of a national project we’ve created brand new 3D computer generated situations showing hazards in each video.