Road rules and safety help and FAQs

As your name is listed as the owner of the vehicle that was detected speeding, you could legally pay the fine, but you would incur any associated demerit points. If you don’t want to pay the fine, you’ll have to fill in a Statutory Declaration outlining who was driving the vehicle at the time. You’ll need to include the driver’s full name and address and a Justice of the Peace needs to sign the document. Make sure you return it to the Expiation Notice Branch before the due date on the original notice.

This really depends on why you didn’t realise you were parked in a restricted area. If there were signs up and you just happened to miss them, then you’ll probably just have to pay the fine. If you think the signage wasn’t adequate, you can apply in writing to the issuing Council for a review of the fine. Before you lodge an application, make sure you read your fine or check with the Council, as some will charge for an unsuccessful review. You can chat to our Motoring Road Rules Consultant about whether it’s worth the risk before pursuing it.

The first thing you should do is check the dates on the infringement notices. By law, you can only be charged once within a seven day period after the first photo of your unregistered vehicle is taken. If the dates happen to be within seven days of each other, they’ll automatically be withdrawn by the Expiation Notice Branch upon your request. Otherwise, your options may be limited, but our Motoring Road Rules Consultant can help.

Whenever you pass a stationary emergency vehicle that has its lights flashing, you must slow down to 25km/h, even if the speed limit is usually 100km/h. If you’re travelling on the opposite side of the road and there’s no median strip separating you, you’ll also need to slow down. If an emergency vehicle is passing you with its lights flashing, you don’t need to slow down, but you do need to move out of the way.

Back in 2014, the State Government scrapped the mandatory annual assessment for drivers aged over 70 who don’t have a medical condition and hold a car (C Class) licence. If you have a medical condition recorded against your licence however, you’ll need to visit a doctor and submit the annual Certificate of Fitness form that will be sent to you. The same will apply for other licences – like for trucks and motorbikes. Your doctor may request you also take a Practical Driving Assessment to determine your driving ability, and if you’re over 85 and hold a licence for something other than a vehicle, you’ll also need to sit this test. 

Remember, it’s your responsibility to report any medical conditions you have that could impact your ability to drive. If you disagree with an assessment made by a doctor on this front, you do have the right to appeal.

If you wear glasses or contact lenses while driving, it will be recorded as a condition on your licence but you won’t need a medical assessment.

Health professionals are required to notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles if they have reasonable cause to believe someone with any sort of driving licence is suffering from a condition, disability, illness or deficiency that could endanger themselves or others if they got behind the wheel. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, individuals also need to notify the registrar in writing of such a condition. 
The Registrar has the power to make you undertake tests to prove your fitness to drive, which could include a practical test and/or further medical tests. They also have the power to cancel a licence, or add conditions on a licence, including time and distance restrictions. You can of course challenge any decision, and our Motoring Road Rules Consultant can provide some more advice on this.

If you think there’s a risk of injury to either the person or others, you can report the individual to the police. You can also advise the Registrar of Motor Vehicles about your concerns and they can, based on your report, request the individual to prove their fitness to drive. If you choose the latter course of action, you’ll need to submit your report in writing.

Yes, you can tow the same vehicles as any full licence holder; however, your L and P plates must be visible while doing so. Some states have different rules though, so if you’re planning on towing interstate, you’ll need to check their road rules.