The NSW Rural Fire Service Association is reminding drivers to slow down to 40km/h when driving past emergency workers and vehicles displaying blue and red flashing lights.
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The legislation was introduced in NSW on September 1 last year and applies to vehicles travelling in both directions, unless the road is divided by a median strip and motorists who do not comply with the rule could face a $448 fine and lose three demerit points.
NSW RFSA president Ken Middleton said that it is imperative this road rule exists to ensure that emergency workers don’t become casualties themselves.
“Whilst the 40 km/h slow down road rule is relatively new here in New South Wales – it is in fact already law in Western Australia and Victoria, and particularly in South Australia, where the law requires drivers to slow down to 25km/h,” Mr Middleton said.
“NSW already employs the use of reduced speed rules around school zones – the emergency services slow down legislation is no different.
“I understand that there is perhaps a broader community education piece that may need to accompany this new road rule – the last thing we would want is anyone getting hurt as a result of the changes.
“At the end of the day, our emergency services workers perform difficult and dangerous work for the community, and they deserve to feel safe and know they are protected while they go about their work,” he said.”
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Tanya Marschke
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
