If you`ve eaten while driving, applied makeup or watched a movie/TV show, or climbed on your knees, you`ve probably broken some of NSW`s unknown traffic rules. Of these, the most common dangerous driving habit is eating a meal while driving, with 44% of Australian drivers admitting this behaviour. However, this comes with a fine of $464 and 3 demerit points, as it is classified as “driving without proper vehicle control”. My correspondent asked: ” What do you think of the changes to Highway Rule 317 regarding volunteers turning around in designated U-turn bays on highways? Australian traffic rules are model laws that have no legal effect. They form the basis of the traffic rules of each Australian state and territory. For the most part, each state and territory copied the rules into its own laws, however, not all provisions of the rules were exactly copied in each state and territory. In addition, there are a number of provisions in the rules that explicitly leave certain matters to state and territory governments. Don`t be tempted to sit on your horn when you`re frustrated by a traffic jam. It is actually a criminal offence to use your horn or other warning device unless you need to warn other road users that your vehicle is approaching, you need to warn animals to leave the road, or the horn is part of an anti-theft device or alcohol barrier in your vehicle. Here are some other obscure traffic rules you`ve probably never heard of, but should still be aware of. 20.
Failure to stay left on a highway (or a road with a speed limit of 80 km/h or more) unless you pass, but in Victoria, if you are legally and safely parked off the street and the engine is still running – and you are sitting in the driver`s seat – this is always a ticket. In Victoria, the engine must be turned off, otherwise you are “in charge of a motor vehicle”. New South Wales law states that you may not “negligently or intentionally disturb or interrupt” any funeral procession or approved procession on a street or “vehicle or person” that is part of the funeral or procession. This is a criminal offence and you will be subject to a fine. A series of road signs that apply to various animals, including native and farm animals, means a driver must slow down or stop to avoid a collision with them. Fines apply if you do not follow these signs. The changes were announced on August 18. We were told: “The change in traffic rules will be published and will come into force in the coming weeks.” It has now been 4 and a half weeks since the announcement was made. For those who are eager to see the changes, or even more dangerous for those who believe that there have been changes, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the proposed changes are still not available to the public and that there has been no change in the law. Article 317 deals with “information on or with traffic control equipment” has never been amended (see legal notes). Today, it is the same as when the rules were first invoked in 2014.
If you drive at night or in dangerous weather conditions and the lights are off, you could be punished by the police if you don`t follow traffic rules that require Rego license plates to be clearly visible 24/7. Road Rules 2014 (NSW) – See Level 3 legislation The objectives of these road rules are: (a) to consolidate the road rules applicable in New South Wales into a single instrument and (b) to provide for road rules based on the Australian road traffic rules to ensure that the road rules applicable in that state are substantially identical to those applicable elsewhere in Australia; and (c) providing for other road traffic rules to be observed in that State in respect of matters not otherwise dealt with in the Australian Traffic Rules. NB. This legislation is currently expected on 1 July under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989. September 2020. Relevant compliance frameworks Laws, standards and codes may be linked to one or more university compliance frameworks, either as drivers of requirements or as part of the framework. The relevant frameworks are listed below. Road Traffic Rules 2014 (NSW) – Road Transport Act 2013 Level 3 (NSW) – Level 3 Sources: brazelmoorelawyers.com.au/blogs/your-legal-rights-nsw-blog/item/unusual-or-unknown-nsw-road-rules www.news.com.au/technology/design/the-ten-road-rules-you-never-knew-you-were-breaking/story-fnjwucvh-1226796995159 www.caradvice.com.au/58779/road-rules-its-time-take-some-lessons-australia/ www.raa.com.au/membership/read-samotor/2014/Autumn/10-road-rules-you-might-not-know You may also want to be careful when you`re not in the car.
In New South Wales, pedestrians who don`t cross the street fast enough – or cross on a red signal – face a $66 fine. The same goes for crossing a street – within 20 metres of a marked pedestrian crossing.” It is actually a criminal offence not to “give in” to “restless” horses, meaning that the animals refuse to move or are difficult to control on the street. In addition, under TCA legislation, a notice of defect may be issued to the registered driver of a vehicle when a licence plate has been obscured by equipment or load during an ATR or on-road police inspection. The old “friendly” Australian tradition of flashing your lights to warn oncoming vehicles of a police vehicle further down the road could actually get you fined. If the rider signals a horse by raising his hand and pointing at the horse, the driver must steer his vehicle as far as possible on the left side of the road, turn off the engine and not move until the horse is far enough away not to be aggravated. To find out what rules apply in your area, or to obtain a copy, visit the ACT government website. The rules were first approved in 1999 by the former Australian Transport Council (now the Transport and Infrastructure Council). The Council is composed of the Ministers responsible for road transport of each State and Territory and the Commonwealth Secretary of State for Transport. If your car is legally and safely parked off the road (i.e.
without waiting at traffic lights or in slow traffic), but the engine is running, you can use the phone in New South Wales. They contain the basic traffic rules for motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians, passengers and others. I said I couldn`t have an opinion until I saw the changes. I can conclude that the proposals all relate to the outcome of R. v. Wells (see Court of Appeal dismisses appeal by RFS tanker driver involved in fatal collision (October 13, 2017) and all other contributions cited therein). I suspect my opinion will be that the proposed rule changes are due to a misunderstanding of what was decided in Wells and what the implications of that decision are or should be (see RFS`s response to the victim`s conviction for a fatal road accident, 13 October 2016). But I could be wrong and I can`t comment on the changes until we know what they are, and that`s where my view lies in making this post. 14. The driver shall drive a motor vehicle with one or more persons in the trunk 1.
Flashing lights to warn others of radar cars. 6. Drive the vehicle with the image of the TV/visual display unit visible to the driver. Never be tempted to get behind the wheel with your cat, dog or child on your lap. In New South Wales, the three-metre rule insists that if there is no one in the vehicle, you must have removed the ignition key and locked all doors and windows. 19. Leave a car unlocked, leave the key in the ignition or leave the windows open if you are more than 3 meters from the vehicle The rules of the road remain unchanged. The most recent amendments to the Highway Traffic Act 2014 (NSW) were made by the Road Transport (National Heavy Vehicle Regulator) Amendment (National Heavy Vehicle Regulator) Regulations 2022 on 28 July 2022. Nothing has changed since the August 18, 2022 announcement mentioned above.
In New South Wales, a driver, motorcyclist, cyclist or passenger is not allowed to drive an animal, even through a rope of the moving vehicle. If you use your high beam, you will need to switch your headlights back to low beam if a vehicle approaching you is within 200 metres. But here`s one aspect of cell phone tickets that many drivers aren`t familiar with: In New South Wales (a $298 fine) and Victoria ($282 fine), each ticket also attracts three demerit points — a quarter of your licence. It is also a criminal offence to use a light separate from your car to dazzle oncoming drivers. But did you know that this includes keeping it away from the face via speakers, even when stationary in traffic? Technically, even pressing a button to answer the phone or check a text is illegal if it`s not in brackets. Handling your phone while using it as a navigation device is also a criminal offense as it is not properly anchored and technically, it is still a phone. Laws, standards and codes may be linked to one or more university compliance frameworks, either as drivers of requirements or as part of the framework. We are waiting – impatiently – to see if there will actually be change, what the change will say and what effects it will have. According to the community`s commitment to this work – the project is divided into two parts: However, according to Queensland law, if a driver is more than three metres away from their car, the vehicle must be removed with the engine off, the handbrake, the ignition key (if no one stays in the vehicle for more than 16 years) and the windows must be “secured” at a distance not exceeding 5 cm.