Neighbourhood Watch: STN 1 South YarraRegion 1 Division 2 Stonnington, Victoria, Australia.
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Neighbourhood Watch: STN 1 South Yarra
Region 1 Division 2
Stonnington, Victoria, Australia.
You are here: Home>Newsletters>June 2001
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June, 2001 Some FAQ's of driving offences If I have a prior drink driving conviction from another State, will it be relevant if I am charged in Victoria? Yes. It will mean that the offence in Victoria is treated as a "second offence", which means you will get a bigger penalty. Is there any way I can avoid a licence disqualification if I'm charged with drink driving? Only if it's a first offence, and the reading is.10 or less. Can I go to jail for a drink driving offence? Yes, but usually not for a first offence. If the offence is the more serious "driving under the influence", there can be a jail term for a first offence. Can I refuse to take a breath test? Yes, but there are very serious consequences, including licence disqualification. There can also be a heavy fine. Do I have to go to court for every drink driving offence? No. If it's a first offence, and the breath test result is less than .15, you might receive an infringement notice, which imposes a fine and a period of licence suspension - the period of the suspension depends on the alcohol reading. What if the police stop my car because they think I am drunk, and they see drugs in the back seat? If anything like this happens to you, see a lawyer immediately. But in general, depending on the circumstances, you could find yourself arrested for possession of the drugs. If I was immediately suspended from driving by the police, will the period of time up to the Magistrates Court case, be taken into account? Yes. This time will be deducted from the penalty if the magistrate convicts you. If I have my licence suspended, will I have to go back to being a probationary driver again? This depends. If you were a full licence holder before the suspension, you will return to being a full licence holder after the suspension. Is there anything to stop me signing a false statutory declaration that my wife was driving the car when it was photographed by a speed camera - otherwise I will be over the 12 demerit point limit! There is one simple answer - it's a sworn document, and if you are found out you will be in bigger trouble!! I was caught going 42 km per hour above the speed limit - does that mean I will get a one-month suspension of my licence, because it is more than 30 km per hour above the speed limit? No. That penalty only applies to speeds between 30 and 40 km per hour above the speed limit - the faster you go, the longer the suspension! If you were travelling 42 km above the speed limit, the suspension will be a minimum of 4 months. I thought only probationary licence holders had to have a zero blood alcohol content? I had to reapply for my licence after it was suspended, and now I have been charged for .03, which is less than .05. That must be wrong! Sorry, but it is right! Full licence drivers, following a court ordered restoration of the licence after a drink-driving conviction, must maintain a zero alcohol limit for 3 years. Note: This is general information about the law in Victoria. It is not a substitute for legal or other professional advice. www.law4u.com.au Thanks for helping Each month this newsletter is delivered to 3000 homes by some 25 volunteers. Many of the volunteers have been performing this task for a number of years. Some are elderly residents who have been involved with Neighbourhood Watch since it was launched in 1984. I wish to publicly express my gratitude for their assistance, and thank them all for their dedicated service, in helping to keep their community informed about crime and crime prevention in South Yarra. Volunteer numbers have gradually been reducing for a number of reasons - the movement of people to other suburbs, changes in lifestyle and the natural attrition of age. Neighbourhood Watch can only continue in your area provided it has sufficient support from local residents. I am, therefore asking that you show your commitment to the program by registering as a volunteer to deliver this newsletter. An additional 25 volunteers will reduce the work load of the existing volunteers by half. Perhaps you are new to the area, or maybe your circumstances have recently changed so that you are now able to donate some of your time to the community in which you live. So how about it? Deliver a few newsletters and get to know your neighbours - they don't bite (well most of them don't!). If you would like to help please give me a call on 9827 6931. Smoke alarms need testing to warn of fire Put your hand up if you have tested your smoke alarm this week. Be honest. Several recent domestic fire incidents would suggest that we have become very lax when it comes to maintenance of smoke alarms. Many people think that if a fire were to start in their home, the smell would wake them up. The truth is that the chemicals contained in the smoke keep you asleep. Smoke inhalation kills more people than burns do. People also have the misconception that they have enough time to gather things, call 000, or go back for something they forgot. In fact, a fire that has just started may begin to rage out of control in only a minute or two. You basically have time to roll out of bed, get yourself oriented and follow your pre-planned escape route out of your house. Getting out is all you should be thinking about. Once you are out of the house, never go back in for anything, ever! Your first line of defence in case of a fire is a properly installed, working smoke alarm. Smoke alarms are the only things that will give you an early warning that may give you enough time to escape the fire. But they must be tested regularly and replaced every 10 years. Batteries should be replaced every year. Here's a tip: think of something you do on a weekly basis ( eg. put out the garbage bin) and use this to remind you to test your smoke alarm. Jump in car crimes This month's crime report shows a surge in the number of car related crimes in the area. Please don't leave anything in your car which may tempt a thief, especially overnight, which is when most of these crimes are committed. |
Last modified 7 September 2003.