Changes in Motoring
If you are 50, then you have probably driven close to 500,000 kilometres. If you are 65, then you have probably driven over 700,000 kilometres. That's from here to the moon and back!
That's a lot of driving experience and time to have seen a lot of changes as a driver.
A Lifetime of Changes
Stop and think for a minute. How many changes to motoring can you think of that have occurred since you first obtained your license? Not just road-rule changes - there have been many others that affect road safety.
When you have a your list compare it to ours.
Motoring Changes in the last 40 years!
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Compulsory Wearing of Seat-belts |
Dual Carriageways are Common |
Intersections are more Complex |
The following list if far from complete. We're sure you can think of many others.
- Compulsory fitting and wearing of seatbelts.
- Fitting of disc brakes to most cars.
- Introduction of various automatic braking systems.
- Automatic transmission is now more common than manual gear changes.
- Roundabouts have appeared on almost every thoroughfare.
- A rapid increase in the number and complexity of traffic lights.
- A near doubling of the population and road users.
- Power assisted steering is almost universal on sedans.
- All but the oldest of cars now run on unleaded petrol.
- Petrol is now sold by the litre instead of the gallon.
- Dual carriageways are common.
- Speed limits are measured in kilometres per hour rather than miles per hour.
- Speed limits have reduced from 'denotated on country roads' to 'state limits' - usually 100kmh.
- Most urban speed limits are now 50kmh.
- Road transport has replaced rail with a resultant increase in the numbers of trucks on the highways.
- The introduction of demerit points systems on licensing.
- The introduction of blood alcohol limits and random breath testing.
- The abolition of regular annual car checks in favour of random road-worthiness checks.
- The introduction of radar, the speed camera and the red-light camera.
- Improved road design and safety.