Road Safety Rule Changes – Victoria July 2017

1 July 17 saw a number of changes to legislation including changes to:

• Road Rule 62 – Giving way when turning at an intersection with lights – Motorists must now give way to cyclists riding across crossings at a green bicycle crossing light.
• Road rule 79A – Approaching and passing stationary or slow – moving police vehicles, emergency vehicles, enforcement vehicles and escort vehicles. A 40km/h speed limit applies when passing a stationary police vehicle, emergency vehicle, enforcement vehicle and escort vehicle with flashing lights or sounding an alarm.
• Road Rule 124A – Buses at level crossings – Redundant rule removed. Rule required buses to stop between 3-12 m from boom gates, and must not change gears as they cross the crossing.
• Road Rule 154 – Bus lanes – Riding a bicycle and driving a coach in bus lane (unless otherwise signed) is now permitted. A coach is defined as a motor vehicle used to convey passengers for hire or reward or in the course of trade or business which is greater than 9•5 metres in length (excluding any trailer attached to it).
• Road rule 179 – Stopping in a loading zone – The rule was clarified to include the requirement that a goods carrying vehicle should be only used in a loading zone to pick up or drop of goods.
• Road rule 213 – Making a vehicle secure – The rule was amended to allow a refrigerated food transport vehicle to be left running for the purpose of food safety.
• Road rule 300 – Use of mobile phones – Clarified the rule to specifically apply the same restriction on use to the rider of a bicycle, a person travelling in or on a wheeled recreational device, or the driver of a vehicle that is not a motor vehicle. The restrictions on use are the same as for full licence holders, no demerit points apply to the offence.
• Road rule 405 – Vehicle must not be driven with an empty bicycle carrier attached

For a full listing or details of these changes visit the VicRoads website.