MORE than 2000 drivers a month are being caught driving uninsured vehicles and frustrated authorities warn they face financial ruin if involved in a crash.   :(

Figures obtained by The Advertiser showed the number of unregistered vehicles caught by the Transport Department's 11 Safe-T-Cams has nearly doubled in the past year, jumping from 14,500 to 26,098.   :(

The Motor Trade Association is warning more people are likely to be caught this year because the State Government has abolished registration stickers.

The figures do not include people identified as unregistered by police, who now use number plate recognition cameras to detect offenders.

From July 1, the State Government significantly increased fines for driving unregistered and uninsured.

The fine for driving unregistered has risen from $258 to $315, while driving an uninsured vehicle now incurs a further $582 fine, up from $517. There is also a $30 Victims of Crime Levy for each offence.



RAA senior legal adviser Graeme O'Dea said having a crash while driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle could "absolutely ruin your life".

"It is a concern that people are driving unregistered deliberately or otherwise," he said.   :(

The new levy means those caught unregistered and uninsured are now slapped with $927 fines.   :o

If the matter goes to court, the offender could face the maximum fine of $2500.

Drivers have 30 days between when their registration runs out and their third-party insurance also lapses.

"It is of specific concern that after the grace period of 30 days passes those vehicles are deemed to be uninsured," Mr O'Dea said.

"People who are driving those vehicles uninsured need to recognise that the risk they take is if they do injure somebody the Motor Accident Commission can legally chase them for whatever the cost of those injuries might be."

A Transport Department spokeswoman said the huge increase in Safe-T-Cam detections could be partly attributed to improved technology.

In February 2010 the grace period for an unregistered vehicle identified by the cameras was changed from 30 days to 21 days unregistered.

In March this year, it was further reduced to seven days.

Details of vehicles detected by Safe-T-Cams are sent to police for processing.

The police media unit did not respond to requests about the fines issued. However, the revenue generated by the fines last year would have amounted to between $7.5 million and $21 million.

The most prolific cameras were situated on Port Wakefield Rd at Globe Derby and the South-Eastern Freeway at Crafers. Those four cameras detected 25,382 unregistered vehicles between them.

Motor Accident Commission general manager corporate affairs Ben Tuffnell said registering a vehicle was important because it provided a compulsory third-party insurance policy.

The costs associated with serious injuries, such as spinal or brain injuries, could be millions of dollars. "It is disturbing that many people continue to neglect their responsibilities by driving an unregistered vehicle," Mr Tuffnell said.

MTA executive director John Chapman predicted that abolishing registration stickers would lead to more drivers being caught out because the stickers acted as a key reminder tool.

The MTA has reacted by selling reminder stickers that people can fix to their windscreens.

Mr Chapman was concerned at the size of the fine increases at a time when registration stickers were being abolished.

"I think that number (of people caught unregistered) will increase because people will inevitably forget to register their vehicle because there is no sticker there to act as a reminder," he said.

Government Enterprises Minister Gail Gago said motorists could access the EzyReg website, a hotline (1300 133 776) and iPhone and Android smart phone applications to check the status of their registration.

More than 30,000 inquires had already been undertaken using these tools.

"While registration stickers have been removed, vehicle owners will still receive their renewal invitations, with a slip to record details on, approximately six weeks before their registration is due," Ms Gago said.

"Feedback indicates most people do not rely on their registration stickers to check whether their vehicle is registered or not - they rely on the renewal invitation in the post."

Some people are teetering on the edge of financial crisis. They will probably face financial ruin if they pay it. Some people have so little that financial ruin is just a word to them.

Let's just hope all the uninsured's run into each other lol

Bundles of joy the pair of you.


You don't half paint a bleak picture of life you know....

;D

Anybody remember what rego cost when you didn't have a choice on the insurer?

It took near 20 years for the combined rego/insurance cost to reach those levels again.

And which state are you talking about????

Do you mean CTP?

andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know.

If people cant afford to run a car they can always ride a bike, walk or take public transport.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 4:52pm:

Do you mean CTP? andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know.

The pair of you are kinda depressing though.

I am neither rich nor poor, just ordinary and I cannot remotely relate to all these tales of hardship that Imcrook keeps coming up with. It's as if he lives in another world!!

Seriously, life isn't hard. Its only hard if you make it so.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 4:58pm:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:52pm: Do you mean CTP? andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know. The pair of you are kinda depressing though. I am neither rich nor poor, just ordinary and I cannot remotely relate to all these tales of hardship that Imcrook keeps coming up with. It's as if he lives in another world!! Seriously, life isn't hard. Its only hard if you make it so.

how about the jobs you help send off to china ?? Do you reckon those people that lost their jobs think the same as you do ??

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 4:15pm:

Some people are teetering on the edge of financial crisis. They will probably face financial ruin if they pay it. Some people have so little that financial ruin is just a word to them. Let's just hope all the uninsured's run into each other lol

How can this be in a country which is the economic envy of the world ??

Sir lastnail wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 5:31pm:

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:58pm: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:52pm: Do you mean CTP? andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know. The pair of you are kinda depressing though. I am neither rich nor poor, just ordinary and I cannot remotely relate to all these tales of hardship that Imcrook keeps coming up with. It's as if he lives in another world!! Seriously, life isn't hard. Its only hard if you make it so. how about the jobs you help send off to china ?? Do you reckon those people that lost their jobs think the same as you do ??

What jobs am I helping send to China?
I work in Finance covering an area from the MidWest to the Westcoast of the USA.

Where on earth does jobs to China come in relating to me??

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 4:58pm:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:52pm: Do you mean CTP? andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know. The pair of you are kinda depressing though. I am neither rich nor poor, just ordinary and I cannot remotely relate to all these tales of hardship that Imcrook keeps coming up with. It's as if he lives in another world!! Seriously, life isn't hard. Its only hard if you make it so.

They're usually newspaper reports, I'm pretty sure imcrook doesn't come across all of these people in his everyday life, although one would have to be blind or housebound not to notice increasing hardship.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 5:43pm:

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:58pm: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:52pm: Do you mean CTP? andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know. The pair of you are kinda depressing though. I am neither rich nor poor, just ordinary and I cannot remotely relate to all these tales of hardship that Imcrook keeps coming up with. It's as if he lives in another world!! Seriously, life isn't hard. Its only hard if you make it so. They're usually newspaper reports, I'm pretty sure imcrook doesn't come across all of these people in his everyday life, although one would have to be blind or housebound not to notice increasing hardship.

Actually a shitload are from the Trade Union movement.

A right bunch of reprobates and thugs if ever there were any.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 6:11pm:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 5:43pm: Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:58pm: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:52pm: Do you mean CTP? andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know. The pair of you are kinda depressing though. I am neither rich nor poor, just ordinary and I cannot remotely relate to all these tales of hardship that Imcrook keeps coming up with. It's as if he lives in another world!! Seriously, life isn't hard. Its only hard if you make it so. They're usually newspaper reports, I'm pretty sure imcrook doesn't come across all of these people in his everyday life, although one would have to be blind or housebound not to notice increasing hardship. Actually a shitload are from the Trade Union movement. A right bunch of reprobates and thugs if ever there were any.

But necessary. We have to take the good with the bad. I'd hate to think of how the workers, the workers would be treated if we had no one to keep them in line.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 6:17pm:

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 6:11pm: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 5:43pm: Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:58pm: Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 4:52pm: Do you mean CTP? andrei, bleak picture or not, reality is real, and the people who don't have car insurance are probably not millionaires living it up in the Caribbean you know. The pair of you are kinda depressing though. I am neither rich nor poor, just ordinary and I cannot remotely relate to all these tales of hardship that Imcrook keeps coming up with. It's as if he lives in another world!! Seriously, life isn't hard. Its only hard if you make it so. They're usually newspaper reports, I'm pretty sure imcrook doesn't come across all of these people in his everyday life, although one would have to be blind or housebound not to notice increasing hardship. Actually a shitload are from the Trade Union movement. A right bunch of reprobates and thugs if ever there were any. But necessary. We have to take the good with the bad. I'd hate to think of how the workers, the workers would be treated if we had no one to keep them in line.

Yep real team players.
In 2008 our company had to make the tough decision of wage freezes to enable us to survive through the capital crunch.

Everyone, and that means everyone from the CEO in Chicago on downwards, took a salary freeze.

Guess who didn't?

The AMWU members in our facilities in Adelaide and Melbourne.
The only staff members out of the thousands across the world.

Real team players are the unions.

[/quote]
Yep real team players.
In 2008 our company had to make the tough decision of wage freezes to enable us to survive through the capital crunch.

Everyone, and that means everyone from the CEO in Chicago on downwards, took a salary freeze.

Guess who didn't?

The AMWU members in our facilities in Adelaide and Melbourne.
The only staff members out of the thousands across the world.

Real team players are the unions.
[/quote]



I don't agree with the unions calling for pay rises when the economy is stuffed either. It's not really fair that everyone forfeits a pay rise or takes a cut except union members.

My interest in the union is more for workplace health and safety measures than wage issues, they already have a deal with the company for a 12 monthly increase, although that won't help with job losses if retail keeps sliding the way it has been.

adelcrow wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 4:55pm:

If people cant afford to run a car they can always ride a bike, walk or take public transport.

In theory, yes, but not so much in practice - I know of many people who are not in a position to use public transport or ride bikes - especially those who live outside metropolitan areas and particularly those who have children and disabilities...

The logistics of juggling work, childcare, school, adult education and recreation is very difficult for young families - especially for single parent households and those who live outside of metropolitan areas...

I live about 110km from Sydney - and, according to both my odometer and my petrol receipts, I have driven our family car a total of 2,280 kms since I got it back after being repaired 2 1/2 weeks ago! This is because the regional business districts, 'local' TAFE and shopping centres are 20-35kms from our home - and most of my son's medical specialists are over 120kms away (hence, in that time, we've made 2 round trips to the eastern suburbs of Sydney from the cusp of the Hunter/Central Coast)...

If we had relied upon public transport to cover all of our regular journeys, I reckon that we would have wasted so much time stuffing around in transit (in cold and mostly wet weather) that neither of my sons would have been able to attend school more than 50% of the time over the past fortnight!

As I've mentioned previously: -

* In 2006 our family car broke down near one of my son's schools, which was about 35km from home - not only did I have to pay extra for the NRMA to tow the vehicle but I also had to pay $43 for my son to catch a taxi home!

* When I was attending TAFE a couple of years ago (during the TAFE exam period), I arranged for a taxi to pick my boys up after school and bring them to the TAFE because my son had an afternoon appointment at the Spastic Centre which was about 10 km from the TAFE and about 45 km from home - the cost was $86 for a one-way trip!

There are no easy, timely or cheap transport solutions available to my family - or anybody living in our region!

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 6:23pm:

Yep real team players. In 2008 our company had to make the tough decision of wage freezes to enable us to survive through the capital crunch. Everyone, and that means everyone from the CEO in Chicago on downwards, took a salary freeze. Guess who didn't? The AMWU members in our facilities in Adelaide and Melbourne. The only staff members out of the thousands across the world. Real team players are the unions.

Speaking of bad sports, misrepresentation and dishonesty: you neglected to mention that you have previously admitted that yourself and a select few others still received sizeable annual bonuses - whilst the majority had their strictly wage/salary remuneration totally frozen!

I know someone who had a serious motor vehicle accident & after
10 years they have still received no compensation.
They were permanently disabled.
The insurance doesn't pay out anyway.

It's all a scam to make money for insurance companies.

Quote:

I know someone who had a serious motor vehicle accident & after 10 years they have still received no compensation.

Get a better lawyer. I was paid out after 18 months.

Bobby. wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 9:10pm:

I know someone who had a serious motor vehicle accident & after 10 years they have still received no compensation. They were permanently disabled. The insurance doesn't pay out anyway. It's all a scam to make money for insurance companies.

TAC and Work Cover was designed by lawyers to make money for lawyers and stupid lazy public servants. It has no other purpose. The idea of preventing accidents in the work place is all talk and no action :(

Life_goes_on wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 9:32pm:

Quote: I know someone who had a serious motor vehicle accident & after 10 years they have still received no compensation. Get a better lawyer. I was paid out after 18 months.

You were lucky.
Insurance companies are experts at using the legal system to get out of paying.

Bobby. wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 9:57pm:

Life_goes_on wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 9:32pm: Quote: I know someone who had a serious motor vehicle accident & after 10 years they have still received no compensation. Get a better lawyer. I was paid out after 18 months. You were lucky. Insurance companies are experts at using the legal system to get out of paying.

And that's why you get lawyered up with the best one possible.
I went the whole hog - complete with a barrister as a mouth piece.

Life_goes_on wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 10:02pm:

Bobby. wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 9:57pm: Life_goes_on wrote on Jul 30th, 2011 at 9:32pm: Quote: I know someone who had a serious motor vehicle accident & after 10 years they have still received no compensation. Get a better lawyer. I was paid out after 18 months. You were lucky. Insurance companies are experts at using the legal system to get out of paying. And that's why you get lawyered up with the best one possible. I went the whole hog - complete with a barrister as a mouth piece.

This guy had no money for a lawyer.
He ended up as a disabled person living in a car.
That's insurance companies for you.

It cost me around $200 to first see the solicitor. Then another $250 for "book keeping" and perhaps $600 in paying for consultations with specialists and that was it until pay day. Apart from the cost, the whole experience took about 20hrs out of my life.

The bad thing about the drivers with no rego means no personal injury insurance.

That makes you liable to personal injury to someone else.

If you didnt have money before and cause an accident that injures someone badly, you will never have money again.

Quote:

If you didnt have money before and cause an accident that injures someone badly, you will never have money again.

It's not only CTP, it's Third Party Property. I took a guy to court over vehicle damage and he was paying it off for near 5 years.

The Salvos have a new pro bono legal service - might be worth a look...

Life_goes_on wrote on Jul 30^th, 2011 at 10:21pm:

Quote: If you didnt have money before and cause an accident that injures someone badly, you will never have money again. It's not only CTP, it's Third Party Property. I took a guy to court over vehicle damage and he was paying it off for near 5 years.

The only problem about third party property insurance is its not compulsary, and so many think their green slip covers damage as well.