Drivers 'ignoring' common road rule that could attract $2,200 fine
Police have urged drivers 'not to be' like the P-plater that got booked for this offence on Thursday.
After police warned drivers not to "ignore" a very well-known road rule, which could attract fines up to $2,200, a lawyer has weighed in and revealed he's noticed a marked increase in several offences being detected and penalised.
This week, NSW Police released a statement urging motorists against ignoring "keep left signs unless overtaking", like a utility driver did on the M5 recently.
"Don't be this motorist who ignored a 'keep left' sign, a VMS [variable message sign] board stating the same — and a Liverpool Highway Patrol car that was travelling behind them for three kilometres," they said, uploading images of a P-plater driver who was fined $410 and lost two demerit points over the act.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia prominent Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh of Astor Legal said the provisional driver might've got off easy compared with the penalties they could have faced.
"On a road where there is a speed limit of more than 80km/h, you must not drive in the right lane, unless you're overtaking," he told Yahoo News Australia. "You can incur a fine of up to $2,200 for disobeying this rule."
Australians praise police for holding driver accountable
Online, Australians applauded police for calling out the offender not keeping left.
"So many clowns that sit in the overtaking lane, doing 10 under the limit and giving all of us road rage. This is the best fine I’ve seen you guys give out," one man passionately said.
"Great to see this happening!! It happens all too often on our roads!" echoed another. "Needs to be enforced across all Sydney motorways," wrote a third.
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Lawyer warns drivers against 'ignoring' road rules
It's not the only road rule that police are cracking down on, with a "marked increase" in offences being detected. Singh added, "particularly where mobile speed cameras or RBTs are set up."
"Many people believe they cannot be charged for flashing their headlights to warn of police because there is no specific rule that prohibits this," he said.
"However, this offence can actually attract a fine of up to $2,200. Rule 218-1 of the Road Rules (2014) clearly states that it is an offence to drive on a road with high-beam headlights on, if there is another vehicle in front within 200 metres, or there is another oncoming vehicle within 200 metres.”
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