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10 Surprising Ways to Break the Law with Your Car

When we were much younger, breaking the rules made you the cooler kid. While it was great then, breaking rules now will not land you in a much greater or cooler place. Especially when we are driving and endangering the lives of the people around us. Whether we are heading back home after a long day, going on a road trip with our closest friends or even dropping our children at daycare, it is our responsibility to strap our seatbelts on and drive attentively. 

However, as much as we follow the rules, there are some blindspots that we might miss out unintentionally. This article is going to highlight 10 surprising ways you could be breaking the law with your car, but before we get into that, let us look at some common questions that are already arising in your head: 

Is it illegal to drive with one hand?

Whether you are driving manual or automatic, you must keep both hands on the wheel at both times. 

If you have a cast on one arm and are only capable of driving with one arm, yes you may go ahead. However, you must still be able to operate all vehicle controls while keeping a hand on the wheel. 

Is it illegal to beep your horn?

Apart from beeping your car horn to alert others, you could be fined from $50 to $2,669 for beeping it unnecessarily. According to the Daily Mail, these are the possible fines you could be getting if you beep your horn unnecessarily: 

  1. New South Wales: $344
  2. South Australia: $193 
  3. Queensland: Beginning with $66, as it accumulates to 20 penalty units, it could go up to a maximum of $2,669
  4. Australian Capital Territory: $193 or up to 20 penalty units 
  5. Western Australia: $50 
  6. Northern Territory: Maximum of 6 months in prison and/or 20 penalty units or $2,600
  7. Tasmania: $126

Is it illegal to block your rear window?

In order to drive safely, you would need all windows of your vehicle clear and free from obstruction to your vision. In other words, yes it is illegal as it endangers everyone on the road. 

Is it legal to drive all day?

One would think they could be driving all day, everyday without any breaks and yes, to a certain extent, it is legal. This is where it gets grey: According to the Australia Standard Hours of Service, it rules that drivers cannot and should not be driving more than 12 hours within a 24 hour period. You must be taking breaks in between because being tired on the road is just as bad as drunk driving. In our opinion, just take a short break every 5 hours to ensure a safe and comfortable driving experience.

10 Surprising Ways to Break the Law with Your Car 

Now that some of your questions have been answered, let us address the 10 other ways you could be breaking the law with your car. 

  1. Driving barefoot 

There is no rule where you cannot drive barefoot in Australia but you must still be able to operate all necessary vehicle functions while you are driving. You could be held responsible for an accident if the police think your choice of footwear or the lack of contributed to it in any way. 

  1. Leaving keys in the car 

Whether it is to pick up food or to say a quick hi to a friend while keeping your car running, let us just not do this. Many complications could occur such as getting your car unexpectedly stolen or locking yourself out by accident. Additionally, you could be fined for leaving your engine on and/or not removing your keys which in turn leaves your vehicle unattended. 

  1. Driving with your dog on your lap

While it is cute and comforting to have your pet close to you, maybe just not when you have to navigate roads involving other lives around you too. It is illegal and extremely dangerous so please have your pets seated properly in an appropriate area of your vehicle. You could be fined up to $35,340 or face jail time, depending on crime or accident. 

  1. Speeding up when being overtaken 

We know, it gets frustrating when being overtaken. As a result, you would try your best to prevent it by speeding up but it is in everyone’s best interest to maintain a steady speed. In fact, slowing down might even be better too. Drivers who were to engage in speeding during such occurrence can be fined $349 to $1,849.

  1. Not indicating properly 

There should not be an excuse as to why you are not indicating properly while driving unless your indicators are faulty which means it is time for a car service. In the meantime, wind down your window to manually signal using your hand. If you are intentionally not using your indicators, especially at places like roundabouts and lanes, you are breaking the law. 

  1. Not keeping left at high speeds 

When you are driving at high speeds, please keep to the left lane unless you are overtaking, turning right, using a special lane or avoiding an obstruction. 

  1. Cracked windscreen 

It goes without saying that anything obscuring your line of vision while driving is illegal. Windscreen cracks are unavoidable but getting them fixed is not. It is pertinent that you do so immediately to avoid potential accidents to yourself while driving. 

  1. Littering 

100% from the law and the environment. You can be fined up to $575 and demerit points. Instead, save your money (and the environment) by keeping a mini dustbin or plastic bag where you can accumulate your trash to dispose of after. 

  1. Brake checking 

You might be wondering: Is break checking illegal in Australia? Since you are making sure your car is safe to drive, it should not be, right? Yes, brake checking is not illegal but that is only if you do it parked by the side and away from the road. However, checking your brakes while driving is going to endanger your life and drivers around you which makes it illegal. 

  1. Speeding 

We get it, there are times where you need to rush off somewhere but on the account of endangering lives? Think again. Speeding is one of the most common ways to get into an accident and yes, you will be fined. Stay within the recommended speed to avoid unnecessary trouble and have a safe, albeit late, journey. 

How slow is too slow driving in Australia?

Now you might be wondering: Alright, so what is too fast or too slow? Generally, you cannot drive too slow to the point where you are obstructing another driver or the road. For example, on a 80 km/hr road, an abnormally slow speed would be 20 km/hr.

Need a quick car windscreen repair?

We know cracked or chipped windscreens are a sight for sore eyes, but they are also a safety hazard and may lead to legal issues. To ensure your safety on the road, Dean’s Autoglass is ready to assist you with a quick and easy windscreen repair in Perth.

Our expert technician will first assess the damage to see if a windscreen chip repair is possible, but more often than not, if the damage is a safety hazard, we’ll recommend a replacement.

Need an emergency windscreen repair or replacement? Contact us now and we’ll have you back on the road and on your way in no time at all.