Australian Driving Laws
Australia has a unique set of driving laws that the government enacts to keep the roads safe. While laws against driving while intoxicated are similar to those of other countries, Australia also has modern laws about mobile phone use while driving. There are also speed limit laws different than those of other nations. Penalties for violating traffic laws are severe in Australia, often causing a suspension of the driver's license in addition to a fine.
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Drink Driving
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Police in Australia have the right to stop any vehicle at any time and administer a breath test to the driver, according to the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority. This is a regular practice called "random breath testing." Refusing to take the breath test is another violation that will be added to any additional driving offenses. For licensed car drivers, the legal alcohol limit is .05 g/100ml, while special license drivers can have only .02 g, which amounts to no alcoholic beverages. For those with provisional licenses, no alcohol is allowed. The Roads and Traffic Authority states that in some cases, the penalty for drinking and driving is imprisonment, while other times drivers must pay a fine and are disqualified from driving for several months.
Drug Driving
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Driving under the influence of drugs is also prohibited in Australia. If police find a driver who appears to be under the influence of an intoxicant, but the breath test is negative, the police have the right to test the driver for drugs, as traffic barrister S. P. Hardy explains. The driver may have to perform coordinated movements or walk in a straight line, and police will check his or her pupils. Next, police will have a doctor take a urine or blood sample from the driver to test for drugs, or police may take a saliva sample. Penalties for drug-impaired driving vary, but a first offense typically warrants a fine of several hundred dollars and three demerit points with a six month license suspension.
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Speed Limits
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Exceeding the speed limit is against the law in Australia. Speed limits vary, but using New South Wales as an example, suburban areas typically have a speed limit of 50 km per hour, or 40 km per hour around schools. On the highway, the speed limit is 100 km per hour, and on freeways it is 110 km per hour. Police use radars, lasers and speed cameras to detect the speed of passing cars, and those exceeding the local speed limit may find their licenses revoked on the spot.
Mobile Phones
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The Australian government prohibits the use of mobile phones while driving unless it is hands-free. Text messaging is also illegal, as this requires the use of a hand-held communication device. In some places, such as South Australia, student drivers with provisional licenses cannot use any phones while driving, even if they are hands-free. Penalties vary by state but may include a fine and suspension of the driver's license.
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References
- New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority: Driving; Jan. 9, 2009
- Australian Government: Driving in Australia
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Drinking and Driving Laws: Australia
- Traffic Law: Drug Driving Law in Victoria; S.P. Hardy
- Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association: Mobile Phones and Driving - Safety Tips
Resources
- Photo Credit driving 4 image by Andrzej Borowicz from Fotolia.com
