The surprising road rule you never knew about that can cost you
Many drivers are aware of the hefty fines that come from travelling over the speed limit.
However, most don’t know that there is a harsh punishment for driving too slow!
Despite the strict rules, there is no specific minimum speed publicly available for Aussies to follow on the roads.
Due to the lack of clarity, police tend to decide if a motorist is driving too slow if they are obstructing the safe movement of other drivers or pedestrians.
Based on their locations and circumstances, they can then be dealt with under part 2 of Rule 125 of the Australian Road Rules, which is applied across all states and territories.
It falls under the category of “unreasonably obstructing drivers or pedestrians”, with the rules stating that “a driver must not unreasonably obstruct the path of another driver or a pedestrian”.
No specific speed is listed, but an example is provided, of driving 20km/h in an 80km/h zone when there is no reason to do so.
There are exceptions to the rule, which include being stopped in traffic, and if the driver is driving more slowly than other vehicles around them.
Those who are pinched by the rule won’t receive any demerit points, but can be dealt large fines based on each state’s laws.
In NSW, the fine stands at $272, compared with $364 in Victoria, $137 in Queensland, $219 in South Australia, $100 in WA, $130 in Tasmania, $193 in the ACT and $157 in the Northern Territory.
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