CAROLYNS PINE RIVERS NEWS Oct09
State Member for Pine Rivers
I really enjoyed conducting my Mobile Office next to Dayboro State School on 9 September. I had the opportunity to talk with a number of local people about local issues – and I will be continuing these on a regular basis.
Thank you also to Dayboro Bowls Club for kindly inviting me to see their new retractable shades that they purchased with funds from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. It has been a great addition to the club and will certainly be appreciated over summer. Don’t forget the GCBF applications can now be submitted on-line at www.olgr.qld.gov.au/grants/gcbf/index.shtml by 30 November 2009.
New Driver Fatigue Campaign
I welcome the Government’s new holiday road safety campaign aimed at tired drivers.
The new campaign would be a key part in keeping people safe on the road during the school holidays.
Research has showed that fatigue is a major killer on Queensland roads and getting behind the wheel after 17 hours without sleep has the same effect on a person’s driving as having a blood alcohol level of 0.05.
Here in Queensland, last year alone, fatigue played a role in 44 deaths on our roads. This is not acceptable and this new road safety campaign will point out the signs of fatigue and remind people of the dangers of driving tired.
We all need to understand the impact things like driving fatigued have on our ability to drive safely and especially respond quickly in an emergency situation.
Take care to recognise the warning signs of fatigue – yawning, heavy eyes, blurred vision and reduced concentration – and pull over to rest.
Other road safety tips to avoid driving tired include:
Have a good night’s sleep before the drive,
Take at least a 15 minute break from driving every two hours,
Plan rests stops on your journey and get out, stretch and have something to eat. Driver Reviver sites operate during peak holiday periods,
Try to avoid driving at times when you would normally be sleeping (circadian rhythms occur between 3-5am and 3-5pm),
Don’t drive for more than 10 hours a day,
Avoid drinking alcohol, as even one drink can cause drowsiness, and
If you can, swap drivers every two hours.
For more information on how to avoid driver fatigue and to get a full list of Driver Reviver sites across Queensland visit www.transportandmainroads.qld.gov.au .
Beat back-to-school rush apply for birth certificates early
I urge parents in my electorate to apply now for birth certificates to ensure they can enrol their children to start school next year.
Birth certificates are used as proof of identity and age for all children enrolling in their first year of school, including Prep Year.
Many schools are already taking enrolments for Prep, even though the start of the 2010 school year is some months away.
The start of the school year can be a hectic time, trying to organise uniforms, books, transport and after school care and many parents are caught out when they realise they don’t have a birth certificate for their child.
January is also one of the busiest times of the year for the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages so I would encourage parents who have a child starting school next year to get their applications in now.
Parents who already have a copy of their child’s birth certificate should check to ensure they know where it is located.
Application forms can be obtained from any courthouse, through the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages’ website or by phoning the registry in 1300 366 430 to have one mailed out.
The cost of a birth certificate is $33, and parents will need to provide proof of identity with the application. A full list of proof of identity documents is available on the Department of Justice and Attorney-General website.
Parents should note that certified copies of these documents will need to be provided if they are applying by mail.
For further information, visit www.justice.qld.gov.au .
Until next time, Carolyn
New Driver Fatigue Campaign
I welcome the Government’s new holiday road safety campaign aimed at tired drivers.
The new campaign would be a key part in keeping people safe on the road during the school holidays.
Research has showed that fatigue is a major killer on Queensland roads and getting behind the wheel after 17 hours without sleep has the same effect on a person’s driving as having a blood alcohol level of 0.05.
Here in Queensland, last year alone, fatigue played a role in 44 deaths on our roads. This is not acceptable and this new road safety campaign will point out the signs of fatigue and remind people of the dangers of driving tired.
We all need to understand the impact things like driving fatigued have on our ability to drive safely and especially respond quickly in an emergency situation.
Take care to recognise the warning signs of fatigue – yawning, heavy eyes, blurred vision and reduced concentration – and pull over to rest.
Other road safety tips to avoid driving tired include:
Have a good night’s sleep before the drive,
Take at least a 15 minute break from driving every two hours,
Plan rests stops on your journey and get out, stretch and have something to eat. Driver Reviver sites operate during peak holiday periods,
Try to avoid driving at times when you would normally be sleeping (circadian rhythms occur between 3-5am and 3-5pm),
Don’t drive for more than 10 hours a day,
Avoid drinking alcohol, as even one drink can cause drowsiness, and
If you can, swap drivers every two hours.
For more information on how to avoid driver fatigue and to get a full list of Driver Reviver sites across Queensland visit www.transportandmainroads.qld.gov.au .
Beat back-to-school rush apply for birth certificates early
I urge parents in my electorate to apply now for birth certificates to ensure they can enrol their children to start school next year.
Birth certificates are used as proof of identity and age for all children enrolling in their first year of school, including Prep Year.
Many schools are already taking enrolments for Prep, even though the start of the 2010 school year is some months away.
The start of the school year can be a hectic time, trying to organise uniforms, books, transport and after school care and many parents are caught out when they realise they don’t have a birth certificate for their child.
January is also one of the busiest times of the year for the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages so I would encourage parents who have a child starting school next year to get their applications in now.
Parents who already have a copy of their child’s birth certificate should check to ensure they know where it is located.
Application forms can be obtained from any courthouse, through the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages’ website or by phoning the registry in 1300 366 430 to have one mailed out.
The cost of a birth certificate is $33, and parents will need to provide proof of identity with the application. A full list of proof of identity documents is available on the Department of Justice and Attorney-General website.
Parents should note that certified copies of these documents will need to be provided if they are applying by mail.
For further information, visit www.justice.qld.gov.au .
Until next time, Carolyn
