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A $572 fine awaits car passengers that do this

NSW police officers riding motorcycles on the left and an officer in a NSW highway patrol car on the right.
A big penalty can be slapped on passengers who do the wrong thing. (Images: NSW Police)

A large $572 fine can be dished out to Australians that aren't even driving if they commit a particular offence while a learner is behind the wheel.

Yahoo Finance has seen NSW Police documents that show a licence holder sitting in the passenger seat with a blood alcohol content 0.05 or more will be fined $572 if a learner is driving the vehicle.

Other states have similar rules for the same offence.

So next time you've consumed alcohol and hand over to your car key to a learner, it's not necessarily the morally right – or legal – option to take.

NSW Roads & Maritime Services also states on its website that it's illegal for learner supervisors to be under the influence of drugs.

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"You are both a role model and mentor for your learner driver. You should support and help them become a safe and skilled driver."

Other requirements for anyone sitting as a supervisor for a learner driver in NSW are:

  • Must hold a current full Australian driver's licence

  • Have good knowledge of road rules

  • Be a "competent" driver themselves

  • Be able to communicate clearly

The RMS recommends not turning on the radio, using the phone or talking to other passengers while a learner driver is practising.

"Don't criticise mistakes. Calmly explain and discuss what happened and allow the learner to try again," the RMS states.

"Emphasise the importance of developing a sensitivity to speed. Learners need to understand that the faster a vehicle travels, the more difficult it is to respond to potential hazards. When involved in a crash, the faster a vehicle is travelling, the more devastating the outcome."

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