Whopping Fines For WA Motorists Using Mobiles While Driving
Get ready to dig deep ($1000 to be exact) if you’re caught illegally using your mobile while driving on WA roads.
Western Australia has decided to implement steeper fines and harsher penalties for those who are caught using the mobile while driving.
Come July 1 2020, you can expect to be hit with a whopping $1000 fine and 4 demerit points if you are caught browsing the internet, emailing, using social media or watching videos while driving. (even if your mobile is mounted).
According to Road Safety Commission WA, a driver can only touch a mobile phone to receive and terminate a phone call IF it is secured in a mounting affixed to the vehicle.
If your mobile is not secured in a mounting, it can only be used to receive and terminate a call without being touched via hands-free bluetooth, earpiece, headset or voice activation.
The likely reason for the increase in penalty and fines is the fact that 31 WA motorists were killed on the roads, far from the Toward Zero 2020 targets and 19% of all road fatalities in 2018 due to driver inattention.
The previous year also revealed that 29 deaths, or almost one in every 5 was because of driver inattention, which was a 70% increase compared to the 5 year average of 17.
The crackdown on mobile phone usage has been introduced in Queensland as of February 1, 2020, and since then, has already seen up to 218 fines dished out to motorists.
The fines and penalties for using your mobile phone while driving other states in Australia
Western Australia: currently $400 and 3 demerit points
Queensland: $1000 and 4 demerit points. Repeat offenders will cop a $2000 fine and double demerit points if caught again within a 12 month period from first offence.
South Australia: using mobile phone while driving $534 and 3 demerit points
Northern Territory: using your mobile whilst driving will cost you $500 and 3 demerit points.
Tasmania: 3 demerit points and $336 fine.
New South Wales: Drivers will be fined $334 and 5 demerit points for using mobile phones when driving. Penalties can rise up to $457 if caught in a school zone. During double demerit periods including Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter, drivers will be penalised a whopping 10 demerit points.
Victoria: The penalties if caught using a mobile phone while driving is 4 demerits and $496 fine
ACT: $480 and 3 demerit points when using handheld and a $589 fine and 4 demerit points if driver is texting, browsing the internet, using mobile applications or social media.
Essential Road Rules WA 2019-2020
Roundabouts
- Failing to give way at a roundabout will incur 3 demerits and $150 fine.
- All other offences for not using a roundabout correctly will be 2 demerit points and $100 fine.
Merging
We all know how bad Perth drivers are, especially when it comes to merging on the freeway.
- Failing to give way when merging will be 2 demerits and $100 fine.
- If you fail to give way when changing lanes you will receive 3 demerit points and a $100 fine.
Mobile phones
- Using, touching or holding a mobile phone whilst driving is currently 3 demerits and $400.
- Creating sending, or looking at a text message, video, email, social media or similar communication while driving is also currently 3 demerits and $400 fine.
This is all set to change to $1000 fine and 4 demerit points by the 1st of July 2020.
U-TURNS
- Making an illegal U-turn will cost you 2 demerit points and a $100 fine.
- Failing to give way when making a U-turn is 3 demerit points and $100 fine.
Keeping left
Failing to keep left in a multi-lane road such as the freeway will result in a $50 fine and 2 demerit points.
Uncontrolled Intersections
- Travelling straight ahead OR turning left in a slip lane, failing to give way to vehicles to the right or pedestrians will incur 3 demerit points and a $200 fine.
- Turning left or right and failing to give way to vehicles to the right or pedestrians will also be 3 demerits and a $300 fine.
Crossing continuous white lines
- Crossing the edge line of a road will be $100 fine.
- Crossing a continuous ‘solid’ white line will be 2 demerit points and $100 fine.
- Crossing a continuous centre line will incur 3 demerits and $150 fine.
Overtaking
- Failing to overtake at a safe distance will result in 4 demerit points and a $400 fine.
- Overtaking at a railway/pedestrian/children crossing will be 4 demerit points and $400 fine.
- Overtaking across a continuous white line is 3 demerit points and $200 fine.
- Exceeding the speed limit while overtaking is illegal and will incur a penalty.
- Failing to overtake a cyclist with a passing distance of 1 metre (up to 60km/h) and 1.5metres (over 60km/h) will be 4 demerits and $400 fine.
Emergency Vehicles
- Failing to give way to an emergency vehicle will be 4 demerit points and $400 fine.
- Failing to slow down and move aside is 3 demerit points and $300 fine.
Tailgating
- Failing to follow a vehicle at a safe distance (in most cases two seconds behind) will be 2 demerit points and $200 fine.
- Inappropriate use of headlights and foglights will incur 1 demerit point and $100 fine.
Penalties for motorists
- Failing to overtake a cyclist with a passing distance of 1 metre (up to 60km/h) and 1.5metres (over 60km/h) will be 4 demerits and $400 fine.
- Entering a green bicycle box will be 2 demerits and $200 fine.
Penalties for cyclists
- Cyclist riding more than 2 abreast (with 1.5m between riders) will incur a $50 fine
- Not wearing a helmet will result in a $50 fine.
- Failure to have at least one effective brake and working warning device is $100 fine.
- Failure to have correct lighting for visibility will incur a $100 fine.
- Riding less than 2m behind a vehicle is $200 fine.
- Passing on the left of a vehicle that is turning left will incur a $100 penalty.
Penalties for driver
- Failing to give way to a pedestrian at a designated crossing results in 3-4 demerit points and $300 fine.
- Failing to give way to a pedestrian at an intersection will be 3 demerits and $300 fine.
- Failing to give way to pedestrians when entering a road will be 3 demerit points and $200 fine.
- Failing to give way to a pedestrian when exiting a road will result in 3 demerits and a $300 penalty.
Visit Road Rules by Road Safety Commission WA for more information.
Have a read through our list of quirky Australian road rules that still are in place in Australia.