10 road rules people know but break anyway

Posted 22 April, 2018 Lauren Reid

Most of us know the basic rules of the road: obey speed limits, use your indicators, keep left, and so on. But you might be surprised by how many of us know these road rules and still break them – and the hefty penalties might surprise you, too.

 

1. Creeping over the speed limit

We all know that speed limits are there for a reason: to keep us all safe on the road. But how many people do you notice creeping over the speed limit? Whether it’s to get home from work quicker, overtake someone or just out of inattention, creeping over speed limits happens all too often. Penalty: Exceeding the speed limit by less than 10km/h will get you a $196 fine, plus $99 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points.

 

 

2. Going across solid white lines to overtake

Sure, you might get a bit frustrated driving behind someone that’s crawling along at a snail’s pace, but weigh that up against the risk of a head-on collision, and you can see why solid lines are on the road. Exemptions are provided for overtaking a cyclist, avoiding an obstruction and to enter or leave a road. Penalty: $450, plus $99 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points.

 

3. Keeping to the left or right when turning onto a road

When you’ve pulled up at an intersection waiting to make a turn, you should be as far left as possible if you’re turning left. If you’re going right, you should be as close to the centre line as possible (or the middle of the road if there are no lines). This is to make sure drivers wanting to turn in the other direction have space to do so, keeping traffic flowing steadily. Seems logical, but this one catches plenty of people out. Penalty: $376, plus $99 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points.  

4. Not coming to a complete stop at stop signs

It’s called a stop sign, so it’s pretty self-explanatory: you’re meant to stop there. If you don’t, you’re risking a side-on collision with oncoming traffic, which is not only dangerous but potentially deadly. Penalty: Unsurprisingly, this one attracts a larger fine than some of the others on the list. You’ll be up for a $499 fine, plus $99 Victims of Crime Levy and three demerit points if you fail to stop and give way at a stop sign at an intersection. It’s $423 if you fail to stop at a stop sign not at an intersection, plus $99 Victims of Crime Levy and three demerit points.

 

5. Failing to indicate

This one’s a doozy. Given side-swipe crashes are one of the most common types of collisions on our roads, you’d think turning your indicator on would be a pretty simple fix, right? Remember, indicating doesn’t mean you can move across straight away – you need to ensure there is a suitable gap in the traffic lane you are about to enter before you move across. Penalty: Failing to indicate for long enough to warn other road users of your intention to turn will get you a $369 fine, plus $99 Victims of Crime Levy and two demerit points.

 

6. Using your phone

It may seem like our phones are as essential to us as food and water these days, but there’s one place it’s imperative you keep it out of your hands: while behind the wheel. Penalty: You’ll receive a fine of $540, plus $99 Victims of Crime Levy and three demerit points if you’re pinged for using your mobile while driving or while your vehicle is stationary but not parked (e.g. while stopped at traffic lights to check messages, send texts, etc).