The indicator mistake motorists are making
Shockingly, 42 per cent of motorists don’t know how long they need to indicate before moving from a stationary position on the side of the road.
A sa move quiz revealed these surprising findings, with a quarter of participants answering that there wasn’t a specific timeframe for indicating when moving from a stationary position. Another 17 per cent of people said that you only need to indicate for three seconds.
Fifty-eight per cent of people answered correctly that you need to indicate for a full five seconds before pulling away from the kerb.
RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain says motorists need to indicate and then make sure they give way to all traffic before pulling away from the kerb.
“If they fail to indicate for at least five seconds before moving from a stationary position, they risk a $369 fine plus a $99 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points,” Charles says.
“People learning to drive practice this manoeuvre numerous times, so it should be second nature.”
However, it seems many drivers have forgotten the rule, or ignore it all together.
U-turns at traffic lights
One in 10 motorists believe you can complete a U-turn at the traffic lights in South Australia. A hefty fine could be in store for these people.
Completing a U-turn at traffic lights, could result in a $423 fine, plus a $99 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points.
This is because it’s illegal to perform a U-turn at an intersection or crossing with traffic lights unless there’s a sign saying it’s permitted.
“Don’t be tempted to perform a U-turn at the traffic lights,” Charles says. “Instead, it’s best to travel a bit further down the road and find a safe location to complete the manoeuvre.”
Interior lights
As a child, you may remember being told by a parent that you could get into trouble for driving with your interior light on. This belief could well have been reflected in the quiz results with around 50 per cent of people answering that it was illegal to leave your interior light on. However, this isn’t the case, and you can’t be fined specifically for leaving the light on.
Your parents probably had good reason for the light being off, with Charles saying it can create reflections on the inside of the windscreen, which can make it more difficult to see the road ahead under certain conditions.
“The reflections can make it hard for the drivers to see through the windscreen or side windows and could be a hazard,” he says.
“It’s best to leave the interior light switched off while you’re driving as it may reduce your visibility of the road ahead.”