Chelsea – Mordialloc
Features inside FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
PAGES 14–15 CLASSIFIEDS
PAGES 16–17 SPORTS DESK
An independent voice for the community Your weekly community newspaper covering Carrum to Mentone For all your advertising and editorial needs, call us on 1300
FREE
PAGES 18–19 Wednesday 6 November 2013
MPNEWS (1300 676 397) or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
End of road for mobiles
Jumping base MENTONE Pony Club is looking for new premises. The club will be evicted from its current home at Bangholme early next year after a foreign investor bought the land at Pillars Rd. Bec Savage from Black Rock is one of 58 club members seeking a new home for their horses. Report Page 7. Picture: Gary Sissons
By Chris Brennan KINGSTON drivers are being warned of an impending police crackdown on the illegal use of mobile phones while behind the wheel. Tough new penalties for those caught using mobile phones while driving will be introduced this month. From 25 November, drivers caught using a mobile phone handset will be fined $433 and lose four demerit points, up from current penalties of $289 and three points, while P-platers will banned from any mobile phone use, including hands free. Under sweeping changes to mobile phone rules introduced by the state government last week, the total ban on mobile phone use for provisional drivers is being extended from P1 licence holders on red P-plates to P2 drivers on green P-plates. Sergeant Herb Lonsing of Kingston traffic management unit said police were frustrated drivers were still not getting the message that texting while driving was highly dangerous. “It is a big problem and it’s getting worse,” he said. “Texting rather than talking is the new thing and it takes a driver’s eyes off the road. “There are a lot of nose to tail crashes caused on the Nepean Hwy for instance that are caused by people texting while driving.” Sargeant Lonsing said he had even seen drivers looking at Facebook and Twitter on mobile phones while driving. He said hiding a phone down low out of sight while on the road would not stop drivers being caught. “Police motorcyles will be out and about checking whether mobile phones are being used in traffic,” he said. Drivers using hand-held GPS and other mapping devices while behind the wheel is also banned. Roads Minister Terry Mulder said the new
regulations were some of the most significant changes to the state’s road rules rules in years and reflected the “growing problem of distraction, which has the potential to result in deaths and injuries on our roads”. “We want to see using mobiles while driving become as unacceptable as drink-driving now is,” he said. “We want parents to talk to young drivers about not starting the habit, and we want people who do it now to stop. “We have all sat at the lights and seen people with their heads down, playing with their phones. We have to decide as a community that this is not on, and make it as stupid as drink-driving.” He said a majority of young and middle-aged drivers had admitted using a mobile phone at some stage while driving, with 88 per cent of young drivers reporting using mobile phones to read text messages and 77 per cent to send texts. “The message clearly isn’t getting through, which is why we are making the fines and penalties even tougher. Any driver caught using a mobile phone illegally risks losing one-third of the 12 demerit points for a single, stupid act. P-platers will risk hitting their five demerit point limit. “We know these acts can, and have, caused deaths and injury on our roads.” Assistant Commissioner for road policing Robert Hill welcomed the tougher approach, saying mobiles were the biggest cause of driver distraction on the state’s roads. He said police would ramp up their enforcement efforts leading into the Christmas and New Year period. “Taking that call, sending that text, it’s just not worth it. It just is not worth losing your life, or someone else’s.” TAC research shows drivers taking their eyes off the road for more than two seconds doubled their chance of having a crash.
We’re ready to tailor a home loan package for you Aspendale Gardens
Aspendale Gardens-Edithvale Community Bank® Branch is doing deals on home loans – and it’s all about getting you a better deal.
banking
Right now you can save 0.7%pa off the Bendigo’s standard variable home loan rate when you borrow more than $250,000, or 0.5%pa if you borrow less. And with a home loan package you’ll get even better value, reduced fees and added flexibility. Drop into your branch at Aspendale Gardens Shopping Centre, Aspendale Gardens or phone 9588 0610 to find out more. All loans are subject to Bendigo Bank’s normal lending criteria. Fees, charges, terms and conditions apply. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited ABN 11 068 049 178 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 237879. S41790C (198814_v1) (29/10/2013)
www.bendigobank.com.au
Aspendale Gardens-Edithvale Community Bank® Branch