By law, every Australian child less than 7 years old, travelling in a motor vehicle, must use an age-appropriate child car seat. However, many child car seats are not correctly used, increasing the risk of serious injury.
The driver is responsible for children being secured by an approved child restraint suitable for the child’s age and size. There are penalties related to child car seats.
When choosing a child car seat
The Child Restraint Evaluation Program has independent and consistent information to help you choose safe child car seats. The program tests child car seats by rating their level of protection in a crash and how easy they are to use correctly.
To be approved, all child car seats must meet Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754.
Using the correct child car seats
Whenever children are in a car, they must be safely buckled up in child car seats that are correct for each child’s age and size.
Children aged under 7 years must use an approved suitable child car seat when travelling in a vehicle. To be approved, child car seats must meet Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754.
Children up to the age of 6 months must use a rear-facing child car seat.
Children aged between 6 months and 4 years must use either a rear-facing child car seat or a forward-facing child car seat with an inbuilt harness.
Children aged between 4 and 7 years must use a forward‑facing child car seat with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat.
Use the 5 step test to determine if a child is big enough to use an adult seat belt in each car they travel in.
More information about moving your child to the next type of child car seat, or from a booster seat to an adult seatbelt is on the Child Car Seats website.
Purchasing or using second hand car seats
Second hand car seats should be used with caution.
Child car seats should not be used if they are more than 10 years old, because they could be unsafe.
All seats sold in Australia are required to meet mandatory safety standards. If the sticker showing the restraint is compliant with Australian standards is missing, do not use it. If it is only rated to an international standard, it is also illegal to use in Australia.
The used car seat should also come with all the parts, including the instruction booklet.
Further information about using second hand child car seats can be found here.
Hiring a car seat with Moree Plains Shire Council
Forms
Procedures
Fitting a child car seat
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully when fitting the child's car seat and placing your child in it. If the instructions have been lost, contact the manufacturer, search for the instructions online, or seek advice from specialist Authorised Restraint Fitting Stations.
In booster seats, make sure the sash belt crosses your child’s shoulder and is in contact with the chest. Make sure the lap belt sits low across the pelvis.
If you have trouble fitting or adjusting your child's car seat, visit an Authorised Restraint Fitting Station.
The North West Weight of Loads Group (NWWOL) has two main objectives:
To provide the community with continual improvement to public safety on our urban and rural roads, leading to better road conditions for all users, and
To reduce the costs to the ratepayer of maintaining the urban and rural roads by preventing road damage caused by overloaded heavy vehicles.
Weight of Loads groups
There are 4 local government Weight of Loads organisations operating within NSW. These groups are authorised by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), to perform heavy vehicle on-road compliance and enforcement activities under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).
Participating member Councils recognise the groups as an integral part of their asset protection, and contribute to improving local road safety, through enforcement and education about heavy vehicles, leading to better road conditions for all users.
Who we are
The North West Weight of Loads Group (NWWOLG / North West WOL Group) comprises of the following Local Government Areas:
Dubbo Regional Council
Inverell Shire Council
Glen Innes Severn Council
Gunnedah Shire Council
Moree Plains Shire Council
Narrabri Shire Council
Tenterfield Shire Council
Warrumbungle Shire Council
The North West WOL Group has four full-time inspectors which make up two road crews. Our authorised inspectors are highly knowledgeable and have up to 30 years experience working as Weight of Loads Inspectors for the group.
Inspectors conduct random mass checks on heavy vehicles to ensure they operate within the legislated mass limits on State, Regional and Local roads within the participating council regions. Inspectors also conduct joint operations with Highway Patrol and NHVR Inspectors.
The region covers an area of 78, 295 km2, roughly 10% of NSW.
Why we run the program
Illegally overweight trucks compete unfairly with other trucking firms operating lawfully.
Illegally overweight trucks impose a substantial economic burden on tax payer’s ability to maintain the roads.
Overloading of vehicles reduces road safety because the maneuverability of a vehicle is affected; its stopping distance will be longer, turning slower and depending on how the weight is distributed, can have a higher chance of overturning.
Pavement damage can be a contributing factor in motor vehicle crashes, potholes can damage vehicles and uneven surfaces change the way a vehicle handles resulting in a loss of control.
By preventing overloading and reducing instances of critical road damage, road safety may be improved.
The transport network also involves numerous bridges, culverts, rail level crossings and other civil infrastructure that can be damaged by heavy loads that they have not been designed to carry.
Figure 1 shows a Road Train with 5 axle groups
Table 1 gives a representation of how wear from the axle load affects how long a section of road will last. There is a direct link between the load of each axle and the time till the road will need replacing. Note: pavement life is estimated using Equivalent Standard Axles (ESA’s), which estimates pavement wear through standardised axle loadings.
It costs approximately $496, 000.00 /km to replace sealed rural roads. The importance of the Weight of Loads program and ensuring heavy vehicles in our shires are loaded correctly is highlighted when we consider the combination of the reduced life of pavements and their replacement cost.
Figure 1: Axle Groups on a Road Train
Table 1: The Effect of Overloaded Axles on Pavement Life
% Overload
ESAs per Standard Truck
% Damage Increase to Road
Expected Pavement Life (years)
Equivalent No. of Cars
0
2.65
0
20
1120
10
3.87
46
13.7
1640
20
5.49
107
9.6
2330
30
7.48
186
7
3220
How we achieve our aims
The North West Weight of Loads achieves its aims through education, enforcement and prosecution.
Education
Educational programs are supported by North West Weight of Loads to inform operators and members of the public of the following:
How to load appropriately.
The enforcement consequences of overloading.
The negative impact overloading causes to local road infrastructure.
The Moree Plains Shire Council Road Safety Program supplements these with initiatives targeted at the heavy vehicle industry such as speeding and driver fatigue.
Operators can contact the North West WOL Group to arrange a site visit by the Inspectors. These visits allow heavy vehicle operators to have a one-on-one conversation about their fleet and mass management issues in a non-enforcement environment. Heavy vehicle operators can also contact the North West WOL Group to find out specific information about their particular issues at any time. North West Weight of Loads Group: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Enforcement and Prosecution
The North West WOL Group implements its enforcement through the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL). Council members also authorise the WOL Inspectors and administration staff to conduct enforcement activities on their roads under the provisions of Section 251 of the Roads Act 1993 as amended, Section 479 (Chapter 9 Part 9.1) of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland) and Section 166 of the Road Transport Act 2013.
The NHVR undertakes Court proceedings on behalf of the North West WOL Group.
Our commitment
To reduce the incidents of overloading to increase the useful life of the road pavement,
To treat each truck driver fairly and with courtesy and respect,
To provide a fair appeal process for drivers or operators with legitimate objections to our processes.
Operating Procedure
Stopping – Drivers are required to stop when directed by an authorised officer. A driver who fails to stop as directed will be issued a penalty notice. Safety - If a safer, more suitable weigh site is required, Inspectors are authorised to direct the driver of a vehicle to relocate within a 30km radius or any point in the forward direction of the heavy vehicle's journey. Scale readings – Drivers are welcome to view scale readings however, all directions from Inspectors must be strictly followed to ensure safety at the weigh site. Measurement Adjustment – The amount of the measurement adjustment varies depending on the circumstances, such as the type of weighing technologies utilised, notices carried and environmental conditions of the weigh site. Breach Reports – Are written when mass limits specified in the heavy vehicle national regulation are exceeded or a vehicle is not in accordance with authorisation. Processing – When a Breach report is processed, the next step is usually the issue of an Infringement Notice. Severe breaches will result in the issue of a court summons.
Understanding your breach
The Weight of Loads Group conducts the weighting of a vehicle in two different ways depending on the situation.
By the mass of the axle group
By the gross mass of the vehicle
If the axle group or gross weight exceeds the mass limit a breach report will be issued. The severity of the breach is worked out by the percentage of the overloaded axle or gross mass and placed in a risk-based category.
Axle overload %
Offence
Action
0-5%
Not Comply Mass requirements - Minor Risk
Penalty Notice
5-19.9%
Not Comply Mass requirements - Substantial Risk
Penalty Notice
20%+
Not Comply Mass requirements - Severe Risk
Direct to Court
N/A
Driver Fail to Comply With Direction To Stop Heavy Vehicle
Penalty Notice
N/A
Heavy Vehicle Not In Accordance With Authorisation
Public members wanting to name a road or other public asset are encouraged to read the attached policies that explain the requirements and parameters.
There are criteria that have to be met, otherwise the Geographical Names Board will not approve a non-conforming name.
Usually Council calls for expressions of interest to name a road and the community are encouraged to make a submission. If more than one suggestion is received, all of the submissions will be readvertised and community members have the opportunity to show support for their favoured name. These are then presented to Council, who will then make a decision on the most appropriate name.
Public assets are usually submissions that originally come from a community member and involve a fee. The fee is utilised towards advertising costs and the cost of signage. Basically, the same process is followed for a road name or an asset, where Council resolves to go to advertising and comments are sought from the community with Council making the final decision following the closure of advertising.
Enquiries should be directed to the Engineering Department on (02) 6757 3279.
Road Safety
Between 2013 – 2017 there were 245 casualties (people killed or injured) in the Moree Plains Shire in 173 crashes. Of this number 12 were killed (around 5% of all casualties).
Road safety is therefore an important element of the core business of Moree Plains Shire. Council has a strong commitment to improving road safety outcomes through implementation of a coordinated partnership approach.
Achieving lasting change in road safety will require council, industry and the broader community to work together. Moree Plains Shire Council acknowledges that Road safety is a shared responsibility and that changes to the way people think and act about road safety – whether it be road planners, designers or builders, vehicle engineers or fleet operators, policy makers or business professionals, or individual road users going about our everyday activity is required to achieve our road safety goals and as such have adopted the Safer Systems approach to road safety.
The initiatives and options are set out in four key areas: Safe Roads, Safe Speeds, Safe Vehicles and Safe people. The Safe System approach is underpinned by three guiding principles:
People will always make mistakes on our roads but should not be killed or seriously injured as a consequence.
There are known limits to the forces the human body can tolerate without being seriously harmed.
The road transport system should be designed and managed so that people are not exposed to crash forces beyond the limits of their physical tolerance.
Awareness campaigns targeting all aspects of road user safety have been designed and implements, such as:
Child restraints
Bicycle and helmet safety
School Zone Safety
Young drivers
Speed
Drink Driving
Drug Driving
Fatigue
Seatbelts
Motorcycles
Heavy vehicles
National Child Restraint Laws:
All children must be safely fastened in the correct child car seat for their age and size. A child who is properly secured in an approved child car seat is less likely to be injured or killed in a car crash than one who is not.
Children up to the age of six months must be secured in an approved rearward facing restraint
Children aged from six months old but under four years old must be secured in either a rear or forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness
Children under four years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in an approved child restraint or booster seat
Children aged from seven years old but under 16 years old who are too small to be restrained by a seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened are strongly recommended to use an approved booster seat
Children in booster seats must be restrained by a suitable lap and sash type approved seatbelt that is properly adjusted and fastened, or by a suitable approved child safety harness that is properly adjusted and fastened.
If your child is too small for the child restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in their current child restraint until it is safe for them to move to the next level. If your child is too large for the child restraint specified for their age, they may move to the next level of child restraint.
Local Crash Statistics
Crash Fact One - Casualties
Between 2013 – 2017 there were 245 casualties (people killed or injured) in the Moree Plains Shire in 173 casualty crashes. Of this number 12 were killed (around 5% of all casualties).
Killed
Seriously Injured
Moderately Injured
Minor/Other Injured
Total
12
46
110
77
245
Crash Fact Two - Behavioural Factors in Casualty Crashes
In the Moree Plains Shire speed, alcohol and fatigue are all significant casualty crash factors.
Speed
17.9%
Alcohol
3.5%
Fatigue
16.2%
Crash Fact Three - Types of Vehicles
Cars are the primary vehicle type involved in crashes where people are killed or injured, involved in 59% of casualty crashes.
Trucks are involved in over 50% of casualty crashes across the shire. Over 30.6% of truck crashes involved light trucks. Around 18% of truck crashes involve articulated trucks (articulated tanker, semi-trailer, low loader, road train and B-double).
Motorcycles are involved in 14.4% of crashes.
Crash Fact Four - Gender and Age of Road User
Young people represent a significant number of vehicle controllers. Around 32% of all vehicle controllers across the Shire are young people aged between 17 – 29 years.
Other high risk groups are people aged 40 – 49 years, representing 17% of all controllers, and people aged 50 - 59 years representing 14.7% of all controllers .
Males represent around 67% of all controllers, with high risk groups mirroring those mentioned above.
Crash Fact Five - Day of the Week and Month of Year Most Likely to Crash
Over a 24 hour day the risk of having a crash is greatest on a Tuesday and Friday. However, the risk is not significantly different across most days of the week. September has a significantly higher crash rate than other months. Most other months have a consistent rate of crashes, although the June and August crash rates are low at around half the crash rate of September.
Crash Fact Six - Residence of Controller Involved in Casualty Crashes
Around 47% of motor vehicle controllers involved in casualty crashes reside in the Moree Plains Shire.
A significant number of controllers (27%) involved in crashes reside interstate or overseas. Given Moree Plains Shire’s proximity to the Newell Highway, it is likely that a high proportion of interstate residents are traveling from or towards the Queensland border.
Outside of Moree Plains, residents from Gwydir (2.2%) and Narrabri (2.2%) have the highest NSW resident casualty crash involvement.
Crash Fact Seven - Crashes by Road Classification
Over 67% of the casualty crashes occur on State Highways and other classified roads in the Moree Plains Shire. Remaining crashes occur on local roads.
Crash Fact Eight - Class of License
People holding standard licenses are those most likely to be involved in a fatal or injury crash within the Moree Plains Shire (42%). Motor vehicle controllers on a provisional license are at some risk, attributing to nearly 5% of all fatal and injury crashes. Similarly, unlicensed drivers were involved in nearly 4% of all fatal and injury crashes. Only 1.5% of casualty crashes involved a learner driver.
Crash Fact Nine - Pedestrians
Of the 11 casualty crashes recorded, one pedestrian was killed in 2014. Pedestrians account for 9.1% of all those killed or injured on roads.
Crash Fact Ten - Pedal Cyclists
The number of reported crashes involving pedal cyclists is low as a percentage of the crash problem in the Moree Plains. Pedal cyclist crashes make up less than 2% of crashes.
The NHVR manages road access applications for heavy vehicle journeys. They work directly with road managers - state and territory road authorities and local government - to coordinate the application process and issue permits.
General Access Vehicles comply with mass and dimension requirements and do not require a notice or permit to operate on the road network. These vehicles have general access to the road network unless the road is sign-posted otherwise. Eligible General Access Vehicles and combinations can be found here.
Restricted Access Vehicles (RAV) include Class 1, 2 or 3 vehicles that operate under a notice or permit and vehicles operating under higher mass limits (HML) that can generally only access certain parts of the road network.
Requirements for Restricted Access vehicles can be found here.
The permit you are issued depends on the heavy vehicle class in which you are operating, and the jurisdiction in which you are travelling. The classes of heavy vehicles fact sheet illustrates some common examples from the 3 different classes of heavy vehicles.
If you are new to applying for a road access permit, the step-by-step process is outlined here.
If you already know the permit type you need, you can submit your application through the NHVR Portal.
Double Demerit Points
Double demerit periods were introduced in 1997 in NSW. By law, double demerit periods must be advertised and awareness campaigns are co-ordinated with traditional enforcement and increased police numbers. The demerit point system provides an incentive for drivers to improve their driving behaviour, obey road rules and comply with NSW traffic laws. The double demerit point scheme applies for the following types of offences:
Further details regarding demerit penalties and offences can be found here.
Do I need an agricultural vehicle permit?
You may need to apply for a Class 1 agricultural vehicle permit if your agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination does not comply with mass, dimension or operating requirements set out in a gazette notice.
You can apply for an agricultural vehicle access permit here.
The NHVR processes Class 1 agricultural vehicle permit applications through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Portal. This is for travel within and between the following states and territories: Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, including our shire roads.
