Higher fines, lower speed limits: All the changes coming for Australian motorists
Increased fines and stricter street conditions are among multiple safety initiatives being rolled out across Australia from July 1 in a bid to curb the growing road toll, which is at a 15-year high.
Drivers caught illegally touching, holding or using their mobile phones behind the wheel – including when stationary at traffic lights – could, in one jurisdiction, face heightened fines of up to $1250, plus demerit points.
Fines for illegal mobile phone use, among other driving offences, are going up in most jurisdictions from July 1.Credit: iStock
From July 1, speed limits are also becoming more strict in some states, as are seatbelt rules. Here’s what to know about the road rule changes effective from July 1.
NSW
Every year, road-related penalties, fees and charges increase in line with the Consumer Price Index on July 1. This year, in NSW, that increase is by 3.2 per cent, meaning the basic illegal mobile phone use fine of $410 and five demerit points will be increasing to $423.
Exemptions and what counts as illegal mobile phone use for different license levels varies between states and territories. In NSW, according to a Transport for NSW spokesperson, devices “such as tablets and music players” are considered major sources of distraction in addition to mobile phones, as are smartwatches.
Under road rules in NSW, drivers must maintain proper control of their vehicle at all times. From July 1, failure to do so sees an increased penalty of $562 on the table, with the three demerit point penalty remaining unchanged.
In most jurisdictions, bar ACT and Western Australia, how you illegally use your mobile phone – if it was resting on your leg or being used at a red light, in a mounted case, to send a text message – does not change the severity of the penalty. In NSW, the illegal mobile phone usage penalty increases in severity when it occurs in a school zone, and from July 1, that $544 fine will be $561. The five demerit point penalty, of course, would be 10 during double demerit periods.
Ticketless parking fines are being eliminated from July 1. That revelation may be unwelcome for those who say it would “put rangers right back in harm’s way”.
From July 1, average speed cameras will apply to cars and motorcycles in addition to heavy vehicles in two locations. These are on the Pacific Highway between Kew and Lake Innes, and the Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai.
Victoria
Road Rule 79A’s expansion is official from July 1. This means drivers must also slow down to 40km/h, on any road type including freeways, when passing tow trucks, incident response and roadside assistance vehicles that are sounding alarms or flashing lights.
The existing requirement to reduce speed around slow-moving or stationary law enforcement and emergency vehicles remains. There is no loss of demerit points for a failure to comply. Noncompliance fines, however, range from $346 to $961.
Melbourne’s Chapel Street, meanwhile, is notably the subject of an 18-month 30km/h speed limit trial.
Queensland
Vehicle registration costs and fines increase by 3.4 per cent from July 1 in the Sunshine State, putting an end to the former Labor government’s freeze on both prices two months early. Speeding, illegal mobile phone use and seatbelt violation fines are also increasing in cost – bringing the notorious $1209 illegal mobile phone use fine up to $1250.
Speed limits are decreasing from 50km/h to 40km/h in select tourist-heavy areas, including parts of the Hervey Bay Esplanade and its surrounds.
Western Australia
Under the Safer Speeds Trial, more than 550 roads in the Margaret River region are having their speed limits reduced, with signage indicating the new speed limits going up since May.
Some high pedestrian areas, including in the Augusta town centre, are having their limits reduced to 40km/h under the trial. Entry points to other high density areas, such as Wallcliffe Road between Prevelly and Gnarabup, are going from 60km/h to 50km/h.
Speed limits on select roads in many states are decreasing from July 1.Credit: iStock
Some areas, meanwhile, are having their lower speed limits widened, such as the 60km/h areas of the Bussell Highway going into Margaret River.
South Australia
Similar to Victoria, drivers in South Australia since May 19 have had to slow down to 25km/h when passing by a stationary roadside, emergency or breakdown vehicle flashing their lights. Failure to do so does result in a demerit point penalty, with, under speeding offences, up to nine on the chopping block plus a fine of up to $1895.
This new rule does not apply for vehicles travelling on the opposite side of a divided road. It also only applies to multi-lane roads.
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