Performance audit : dealing with unlicensed and unregistered driving.

Unauthorised driving refers to driving a motorised vehicle on a public road without an appropriate driver licence or being in charge of an unregistered vehicle. The licensing of drivers and the registration of vehicles: - promotes safety on public roads and insurance against personal injury caused by vehicles - identifies road users - raises revenue which, in the case of registration, supports the maintenance of the road network. As at July 2002 there were over 4.1 million licensed drivers and nearly 4.5 million registered vehicles in New South Wales. Revenue from registration and licensing fees totalled $1.06 billion in 2001-02. Cancellation of, or other sanctions against, licences and registrations are used to address a range of matters including: - criminal offences - traffic infringements - the non-payment of traffic related and other fines such as fare evasion or failing to vote. The imposition of sanctions does not generally involve the surrender of number plates, registration labels or licence cards. Instead, the sanction is implemented by amending the licence and registration database of the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA). The electronic nature of the sanctions has implications for the management and detection of unauthorised driving. In 2002, 44 unlicensed drivers were involved in fatal accidents. Police assessed that 38 (86 per cent) of these drivers were at fault causing 44 deaths. In comparison, only 55 per cent of the 698 validly licensed drivers involved in fatal accidents were at fault. Of the 44 unlicensed drivers, the 18 who were disqualified or cancelled were assessed to be at fault in all fatal accidents in which they were involved. Surveys indicate that the driving of unregistered vehicles has remained relatively stable over the last decade at about two per cent of vehicles on the road. Unregistered vehicles are not over-represented in fatal or injury accidents. The audit examines whether the NSW Police and the RTA are efficient and effective in dealing with, and reducing the extent of, unauthorised driving. (Author/publisher)