Yahoo Finance Why this little-known road rule could cost drivers $995
There are road rules that cover all sorts of weird and quirky ideas drivers might come up with to try and avoid being pulled over by the police.
The more bizarre rules often focus on very niche subjects – particularly technology – so it’s no surprise to discover that there is one particular law that covers drivers using radar technology.
Known for interfering with mobile speed checks, radar devices are banned across several Australian states. So just how much could breaking this road rule cost you?
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Road rules on the radar
It’s no secret that radar plays a big part in helping police identify any driver who is speeding on the roads and anything that interferes with these checks could have a major impact on many road users.
With that in mind, Rule 225 in the Australian Road Rules was developed preventing drivers from using any radar devices that could interfere with the authorities’ ability to perform mobile speed checks.
The rule can be applied to both drivers and passengers who have a clear intent to use a device whilst in a vehicle regardless of whether they are on the go or parked on the side of the road.
Despite the possible outcomes from those breaching the rules, the law surrounding the use of radar devices is only applied in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
It means that anyone in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Northern Territory or the ACT won’t get punished if they are seen with this equipment when out on the roads.
Big fines await sneaky drivers
With offenders directly interfering with police work, it is no surprise to find that the authorities will clamp down hard on anyone they catch doing it where the rules are applied.
Tasmania has the toughest penalty for anyone found to be using radar devices to avoid speed detection as Tasmania Police will issue a whopping $995 fine to anyone they catch red-handed.
Meanwhile, SA Police also take a firm stance on the issue as anyone found breaking Rule 225 faces copping a $559 fine for their actions.
If you try doing this in Queensland, the authorities will dish out a minimum fine of four penalty units which is currently worth $550.
It would be wise to avoid taking this rule to court however, as the Queensland government will ramp up the fine to equal 40 penalty units if the offender is still found guilty turning the $550 penalty into a mind-boggling $5,500 fee.
As this offence directly interferes with police work and puts lives at risk on the road, it is no real surprise to see states issue extreme fines for anyone trying this act.
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