With approximately 5.2 million licensed drivers on Victorian roads, one of the simplest things drivers can do to improve safety is to make sure they actually understand the law.
Rutherglen Police Sergeant Mick Savage said the lack of knowledge of the road rules among drivers amazes him.
He said he’s attended many car crashes where drivers think they know the rules, but often that isn’t the case.
“Roundabouts are one of the biggest points of confusion we get,” Sgt Savage said.
“We’ve been called to car crashes at roundabouts, and the driver has told us the other guy ‘was on the other side of the roundabout’, so he decided to go anyway.
“I explained to him that at a roundabout you have to give way to everyone already in the roundabout, not just the cars on your right.
“Behaviour around emergency vehicles is a big one; a lot of drivers don’t know the rules about driving past emergency vehicles on the side of the road and don’t slow down.
“And failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign; someone actually said to me once, ‘Yeah, but I slowed down’.
“Stop doesn’t mean slow down.”
As of May 18, 100 people have been killed on Victorian roads this year alone.
RACV Head of Policy James Williams said National Road Safety Week, held from May 17 to 24, was a timely reminder that road safety starts with knowledge.
"Every year we hear from Victorians who are genuinely surprised to learn they've been getting basic road rules wrong, sometimes for decades," Mr Williams said.
"Understanding the rules isn't just about avoiding a fine; it's about keeping yourself, your passengers and everyone else on the road safe.
“If we can clear up even a few of these common misunderstandings, we can help prevent crashes and save lives."
Do you know the rules?
Some of the more common area of confusion include zip merging.
Where two lanes join without a dashed line, the vehicle that is clearly ahead goes first; if vehicles are side by side, the one changing lanes must give way.
If there is a dashed line, the vehicle on the left of the line must give way even if they are ahead of the vehicle on the right.
For lead-footed drivers, a yellow traffic light means prepare to stop, not speed up; drivers should only proceed through a yellow light if stopping would be unsafe.
Cross-border rule differences can also lead to trouble, with Victoria being the only state where U-turns at traffic light intersections are permitted, unless signage says otherwise; drivers must be aware of these differences when crossing into NSW.
For more information on Victoria's road rules, visit racv.com.au/roadrules.
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