Some Little Known Road User Penalties in Queensland
Most people know that they will get fined for speeding on the road, and that is a very common event with over 3,500 active mobile speed camera sites within Queensland, but do you know some of the more unusual penalties?
The following fines were issued in Queensland during the 12 months ended in October 2017.
$126.15 Driving with your arm or leg outside the window – over 400 drivers were fined for this in 12 months.
$ 75.00 Using the Horn when not legally needed – 52 drivers were fined for this in 12 months.
$294.35 Having an unrestrained animal in the car – 170 drivers were fined for this in 12 months.
and
$126.15 Riding a bike without brakes or a bell – 66 riders were fined for this in 12 months.
Other fines include:
$378.00 for touching your Phone.
$378.00 for driving too close to a cyclist.
113 Pedestrians were also fined for stepping in front of traffic outside a crossing point, also called “Jaywalking”. Laws against jaywalking are rarely enforced, but it can happen, so best avoided when you see Police around. This applies not only in Queensland, but also in other Australian States.
RACQ Media Release 13 March 2018
The State’s peak motoring body has urged Queenslanders to brush up on their road rule knowledge, after it released a list of obscure laws that have caught out drivers.
New data* revealed more than 400 Queensland motorists had been fined for having an arm or leg outside of a vehicle, 170 drivers had been fined for having an animal on their lap, and 113 pedestrians had obstructed a vehicle during a 12-month period.
RACQ spokesperson Lauren Ritchie said it was a timely reminder to motorists who mistakenly believed police didn’t monitor minor breaches of the law. “Obviously, there are many motorists copping fines for breaking rules they may not be aware of,” Ms Ritchie said. “These road rules may seem insignificant to some but they’re in place to keep all road users safe.”
Ms Ritchie said warning devices had also caused confusion, with 66 cyclists issued an infringement notice for riding a bike without a bell and 52 drivers received a fine for improperly honking their horn. “While it might seem friendly to beep your horn to say hello or goodbye, you legally can only use your horn to ‘warn’ others,” she said.
Ms Ritchie said while it should be obvious a cyclist should not carry others on a bicycle, six people were caught out. “Ignorance of road rules isn’t a valid excuse so we urge everyone to refresh their knowledge, whether they’re a cyclist, a pedestrian, a driver or a passenger.”
Number of drivers fined for breaking lesser-known road rules in Queensland*:
1. Failure to keep body part/s inside the vehicle – 405 infringements issued
2. Motorist driving with a person or animal on lap – 170 infringements issued
3. Pedestrian moved into the path of a driver or obstructed a driver or another pedestrian – 113 infringements issued
4. Ride bicycle/powered wheel device without brakes or warning bell – 66 infringements issued
5. Failure to use a horn/bell or use other than permitted – 52 infringements issued.
*Data collected by Queensland Police between 1 November 2016–31 October 2017
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