You may think you are doing nothing wrong, but think again! In our latest article in The District Reporter, read all about some of the more obscure fines you can be hit with while driving.
Clients are increasingly visiting us querying what some may call bizarre fines.
It may take you by surprise, but the next time you offer someone a lift in your car it may be safer to ask your passenger to sit in the back seat. All drivers should be aware that, if a passenger is using a phone or a device where a screen is visible to the driver, then the driver may cop a fine and lose some demerit points.
A true example of this was a NSW man driving on the Pacific Highway in the Hunter region around 10pm on April 22 when he was pulled over by the police. Imagine his surprise when he was fined because his passenger was playing with a laptop whilst sitting in the passenger seat. Outraged about the $337 fine he had to pay and the loss of three demerit points, he posted on social media about what he claimed to be a “ridiculous” fine.
Another Sydney motorist received the same fine when the person sitting next to her in the front passenger seat was on FaceTime (video calling). She also posted her frustration on social media, gaining a great deal of attention and prompting lots of comments. Some expressed their shock, some shared the post and others described it as “a joke”.
But this is no joke. This is a legitimate fine imposed under the current NSW Road Rules. The offence is known as ‘Drive with a TV/visual display unit image likely to distract another driver’.
There is no need to remove your NAVMAN just yet, as navigation systems and driver’s aids are excluded; but you might want to take your vehicle to the nearest car wash because of the existence of another quirky fine. Not washing your car may mean you are breaking the law without even realising. Your unclean, muddy number plate from a fantastic road trip away with your family may leave you feeling happy, but not your wallet. You may be shocked to learn that your number plate must be clearly visible from up to 20 metres away. Anything obscuring your number plate potentially prevents traffic offence detection devices like speed cameras from successfully reading your registration number at a distance and you could be hit with a $448 fine and lose three demerit points.
If you think you have been hit with an unfair fine, seek advice!
Knowledge is power.
