The information contained on this webpage is provided for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice or as a substitute for legal advice.
Whilst we endeavour to ensure the information is complete and up to date, we make no warranties as to the accuracy or any other aspect of the information and accept no responsibility for any loss or damage you may suffer as a result or your reliance on any part of it. Links to other websites are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute endorsement of material on those sites, or any associated organisation, product or service.
1. Safety Cameras
What are safety cameras? Why are safety cameras replacing red-light cameras and how do they work?
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Safety cameras have a dual purpose (unlike red-light cameras) of detecting not only whether the driver has driven through a red light but whether the speed limit is exceeded when crossing over the stop line at that traffic light. Red-light cameras are now outdated as they use wet film which needs to be collected and replaced manually. Safety cameras are digital and the information is sent directly to a central site making them more efficient to operate.
A safety camera's red light detection function is linked to the traffic lights. A photo of the back of a vehicle is taken when that vehicle crosses the white stop line after the lights have turned red. The red-light function of the camera does not operate when vehicles cross the stop line on amber or green lights.
Safety cameras also take a photo of any vehicle that exceeds the speed limit when crossing over the stop line at a traffic light regardless of whether the light is red, amber or green. The speed detection function of safety cameras allows them to detect, measure and record a vehicles speed by using vehicle tracking radar or electronic detectors fixed to the road’s surface. Unlike red light cameras, safety cameras are able to measure the speed of a vehicle travelling in either direction.
Click here to view Safety Camera FAQs
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2. Double Demerits
I recently heard an ad saying that double demerit points over the coming long weekend in New South Wales start this Friday. If this is the case, do double demerit points apply to speeding in a school zone?
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Double demerit points will apply to your licence if you are caught speeding, or committing a seatbelt or helmet offence from midnight Thursday to midnight Monday over the next long weekend.
So if you are a full licence holder and you are caught doing just over 10 km per hour over the speed limit in school zone during school zone hours, you would normally receive 4 demerit points (this includes the one extra point normally applied to speeding in school zones). However if you happen to be caught for this same offence on a Friday included in a double demerit point long weekend, then you could receive 8 demerit points for the one offence.
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3. Leniency
If I receive a traffic infringement notice and my request for a review with the State Debt Recovery Office (SDRO) is not successful, is it worth going to court and arguing leniency to prevent demerit points being recorded against me?
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For court decisions made before 31 January 2011, if you were found guilty of a traffic offence but successfully argued leniency under Section 10 (i.e. Section 10 (1) Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999) the RTA would still record demerit points against you. The RTA was able to do this because previously the courts only had to 'find a person guilty of an offence' to add demerit points to their record.
Since that date, the law has changed so that the courts actually have to 'convict a person of an offence' to record demerit points against them, and under a Section 10 dismissal they only 'find a person guilty of an offence'. So yes it may be worth going to court and arguing leniency, because if you are successful in obtaining a section 10 dismissal the RTA can no longer record demerit points against you.
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4. Demerit Points
A) Limit Increases
I have heard that the demerit point limit has increased from 12 to 13 points for a person with a full driver's licence, is this correct?
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From 31 January 2011 there has been an increase in the maximum amount of demerit points an "unrestricted driver" and a “professional driver” is able to accumulate before they receive a licence suspension notice. These increases are as follows -
- Unrestricted driver’s maximum has increased from 12 demerit points to 13 demerit points
- Professional driver’s maximum has increased from 12 demerit points to 14 demerit points
A "professional driver" must be a person with an unrestricted NSW driver's licence who transports goods (such as a truck driver) or people (such as a taxi or bus or hire car driver) either within NSW or interstate. The law is quite particular in relation to who qualifies as a professional driver. There is a more detailed explanation on the demerit point limit increases and who qualifies as a “professional driver” on the RTA website.
So if your last traffic offence was on 30 January 2011 and that offence increases your total points to 12 demerit points, you will still qualify for a licence suspension notice for receiving the maximum amount of demerit points you are allowed to receive. If however you committed your last traffic offence on 31 January 2011, and you have received demerit points for that offence, then you are now allowed a total of 13 demerit points (or 14 points for professional drivers) before you will receive a licence suspension notice.
B) How many demerit points are currently allocated for speeding offences in NSW?
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From 1 July 2011 for Full Licence L, P1 and P2 licences
| 0-10km p/hr |
Points |
Fine |
Suspension |
| Full Licence |
1 |
$93 |
|
| P1 |
4 |
$93 |
3 mths |
| P2 |
4 |
$93 |
|
| L |
4 |
$93 |
3 mths |
| 11-20 km p/hr |
Points |
Fine |
Suspension |
| Full Licence |
3 |
$216 |
|
| P1 |
4 |
$216 |
3 mths |
| P2 |
4 |
$216 |
|
| L |
4 |
$216 |
3 mths |
| 21-30km p/hr |
Points |
Fine |
Suspension |
| Full Licence |
4 |
$371 |
|
| P1 |
4 |
$371 |
3 mths |
| P2 |
4 |
$371 |
|
| L |
4 |
$371 |
3 mths |
| 31-45 km p/hr |
Points |
Fine |
Suspension |
| Full Licence |
5 |
$710 |
3 mths (min) |
| P1 |
5 |
$710 |
6 mths |
| P2 |
5 |
$710 |
3 mths (min) |
| L |
5 |
$710 |
6 mths |
| More than 45km/h |
Points |
Fine |
Suspension |
| Full Licence |
6 |
$1915 |
6 mths (min) |
| P1 |
6 |
$1915 |
9 mths |
| P2 |
6 |
$1915 |
6 mths (min) |
| L |
6 |
$1915 |
9 mths |
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5. Mobile Speed Cameras
I am the father of three children over the age of 20 who still live at home. They have each on occasion, borrowed my car and every now and then one of them receives a camera detected traffic infringement. With the new mobile speed cameras, how can I as the owner of the vehicle, name the driver of such an offence when they each either don't remember or flatly deny that they were responsible?
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There is no simple answer to this question. The law in NSW requires the person issued with the penalty notice to advise the State Debt Recovery Office who was the driver involved. If you are not the offending driver (and you have authorised someone else to drive your vehicle), you must nominate the person responsible for the offence, if you fail to do so a penalty notice for "failing to nominate" will be issued in the owner of the vehicle's name and if found guilty, penalties and associated costs will apply. It should also be noted that falsely nominating a person as being responsible for a camera-detected offence can result in severe penalties and costs.
While it is a good idea for companies to maintain vehicle logbooks to ascertain which drivers committed the offences, requiring adult children to be as vigilant in maintaining such records may be challenging.
One possibility might be to examine the photo taken by the camera. The photo taken by the camera is generally aimed at the vehicle and registration number of the vehicle; however it can on some occasions assist with finding out who the driver is. The person issued with the penalty notice can access camera images online. View a photograph of the camera detected fine free of charge.
Unfortunate as it may be in this situation, if you don't or are unable to nominate the driver of your vehicle who has received a camera detected traffic infringement, penalties can exceed $500 per offence for individuals (and $1000 for companies) for vehicle owners who are issued with a notice for "failing to nominate". It should also be noted that the RTA has the ability to deregister your vehicle for repeat offences of this kind.
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6. Child Restraint ages
At what age should I change my child's car seat?
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The law in NSW in relation to child restraints may be generally summarised as follows: :
- All children under the age of seven must be restrained in a suitable child restraint.
- Babies under the age of 6 months will be required to be secured in a rearward facing child restraint or baby capsule.
- Infants from 6 months to 12 months will be required to be secured in a rearward facing child restraint or baby capsule or forward facing child restraint.
- Children from 12 months to 4 years will be required to be secured in a forward facing child restraint.
- Older children from 4 years to 7 years will be required to be secured in a forward facing child restraint or booster seat (with a high back).
- Children under the age of four must not travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows.
- Children aged between four years and under seven years must not travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all the other back seats are occupied by children under seven years in a child restraint or booster seat appropriate for their age.
- The ages specified are a guide. If your child really is too small to be moved into a restraint appropriate for their age they should remain in their current restraint until it is safe to move them to the next level. If your child really is too large for an age appropriate restraint, you may move them up to the next level of restraint.
Guidance in relation to what age you should change your child's car seat may be further explained at
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7. School Zones
What are the School Zone times? Are all School Zone times the same?
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As a general rule most school zones are in operation between 8.00 am - 9.30 am and 2.30 pm - 4.00 pm on what are known as gazetted school days, they generally include pupil free days and vary from year to year. During the school zone times drivers/riders are required to travel at a maximum of 40 km per hour through those areas. Public Holidays are not considered school days. For this year's gazetted school days visit roadsafety.
It should be noted that there are a small amount of non-standard school zone times that operate within NSW. These non standard times are displayed on a red/orange sign which makes them different from standard times. As a general rule most school zones are in operation between 8.00 am - 9.30 am and 2.30 pm - 4.00 pm on what are known as gazetted school days, they generally include pupil free days and vary from year to year. During the school zone times drivers/riders are required to travel at a maximum of 40 km per hour through those areas. Public Holidays are not considered school days. For this year's gazetted school days visit roadsafety. It should be noted that there are a small amount of non-standard school zone times that operate within NSW. These non standard times are displayed on a red/orange sign which makes them different from standard times.
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8. Mobile phones
What is the law in relation to using mobile phones while driving a car?
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A person driving a car or any other vehicle, must not use a hand held mobile phone while the vehicle is moving or is stationary (such as waiting at traffic lights) but not parked. The word 'use' includes holding the phone to or near the ear (whether or not talking on the phone), writing, sending or reading a text message, turning the phone on or off, taking photos, playing games, entering satellite navigation information or operating any other function of the phone.
As well as hand held mobile phones there is a more general provision in the NSW Road Rules that drivers can be caught under. This includes using a hands-free phone while driving if it causes you not to have proper control of your vehicle. So be aware that a police officer can issue you with an infringement notice for using a hands-free phone, if it can be shown that you were distracted and didn’t have proper control of your vehicle.
As well as not using hand held phones, learner and P1 drivers must not use any mobile phone including hands free and speaker phones.
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9. GPS/ Satellite Navigation
What is the law in relation to a GPS or Satellite Navigation systems mounted on my windscreen?
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The Road Rules in NSW allow a driver to drive a motor vehicle that has a visual display unit (such as a GPS or satellite navigation system) if the visual display unit is, or is part of, a driver's aid.
Provided a driver has proper control of a vehicle and the GPS or satellite navigation system does not deprive the driver of a clear view of the road, the traffic ahead, behind and to each side of the vehicle, there would not be a breach of the law in NSW.
If however the GPS or satellite navigation system is in a place on the windscreen, hanging off the rear view mirror, on the dashboard or on the right side of the steering wheel, and is a distraction to the driver or causes a driver not to have proper control of the vehicle, these may be seen to be a breach of the NSW Road Rules.
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10. Lane merges
Who must give way when moving from one lane of traffic to another lane of traffic?
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When lane merging on a road in New South Wales, three rules apply.
1. Giving way when moving from one lane, marked by broken lines to another.
A driver who is moving from one lane, marked by broken lines (whether or not the lane is ending) to another must give way to any vehicle already travelling in the same direction.
Similarly a driver on a road with 2 or more lines of traffic (not marked by lines) travelling in the same direction as another driver, must give way to any vehicle travelling in that same direction.
2. Giving way when moving within a single marked lane.
If a driver merges to the left or right within a lane marked by broken lines, the driver must give way to any vehicle that is in the lane.
3. Giving way when lines of traffic merge into a single line of traffic.
A driver in a line of traffic that is merging with one or more lines of traffic travelling in the same direction must give way to a vehicle in another line of traffic if any part of the vehicle is ahead of the driver's vehicle.
For information on the audit of Sydney's motorway merges commissioned by NRMA Motoring & Services:
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11. Speeding infringements
Is there any leniency for a speeding infringement if I have had a good driving record for years and if so what is the best way to go about it?
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If you have received a speeding infringement/penalty notice (and you were the driver) three options are available to you. You can either
- Pay the penalty
- Request a review from the State Debt Recovery Office (SDRO) or
- Go to court.
According to the SDRO Guidelines (on the SDRO website) if you do not have any offences recorded on your driving record, previous cautions or relevant court decisions for the past 10 years, for some traffic offences you can apply to the SDRO, request a review and may be issued with a caution. It is also worth noting, the SDRO may consider leniency for a speeding offence in a school zone depending on the length of time you have had a clear driving record and the circumstances surrounding the offence, even though the SDRO Review guidelines state this is unlikely.
Therefore if you have a clear driving record (meaning no offences on your driving record, previous cautions or relevant court decisions) for over 10 years, the SDRO may consider leniency for a speeding offence in a school zone. It should be noted however, the longer the clear driving record for example 15, 20 or 25 years the greater the chance that leniency will be considered. The circumstances surrounding the offence are also relevant ie. whether there were children around where the offence took place (a speed camera photo may record this), how fast you were driving etc. It may be worthwhile contacting the SDRO to ask the best way to obtain leniency for such an offence (see below for SDRO website information).
You need to act quickly in applying to the SDRO for leniency, as SDRO guidelines only apply to requests for a review received before the due date on the penalty reminder notice (the notice received after your initial penalty notice). Find out how to have a
penalty notice reviewed. You also may choose to apply for time to pay by instalments (click on
'Part payment of penalty notices'). Further general information on
SDRO.
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12. Roundabouts
What are the rules for entering and leaving roundabouts?
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When entering a roundabout you must slow down, get into the correct lane and give way to all vehicles (including bicycles) already in the roundabout and only enter when it is safe to do so (i.e. there is no risk of a collision). It is important to remember that unless you are going straight ahead, you need to indicate when entering a roundabout using either the left indicator if turning left, or the right indicator if turning right. When leaving the roundabout always use your left indicator unless it is not practical to do so. This is so that other drivers know exactly where you are going.
These rules apply equally to single lane and multiple lane roundabouts. Also you need to be in the left lane if you intend to leave the roundabout at the first exit (unless otherwise marked on the road), you may be in either lane if you intend going straight ahead (unless otherwise marked on the road) or alternatively you need to be in the right lane (unless otherwise marked on the road) if you intend to turn right.
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13. T-way & Transit lane
What is the difference between a Sydney T-way and a Transit lane?
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According to the Road Rules in NSW, in Sydney a T-way lane is a marked lane or part of a marked lane beginning with a T-way sign and ending with a either a T-way sign or an intersection (whichever comes first). An authorised T-Way vehicle is a vehicle belonging to a group of vehicles displaying an authorised T-Way vehicle plate or label and approved by the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA). A driver who is not an authorised T-way vehicle driver is not allowed to drive or stop in a T-Way lane. An example of a T-way lane can be seen in the 31 km link between Liverpool and Parramatta that is used by Western Sydney Buses.
Transit lanes on the other hand, also known as T2 or T3 lanes and provide a better system of transport for various vehicles carrying more than one person including - cars, trucks, and taxis and buses. One exception is that they may also be used by motorbikes, pushbikes and emergency vehicles whether or not they carry or contain more than one person. Further exceptions are stated in the discussion on bus lanes below.
Transit lanes are generally found on busy traffic routes operating during peak periods and revert to normal lanes at non peak periods. If the sign T2 is shown vehicles with two or more people in are entitled to use the lane. Similarly if the sign is T3 then vehicles with three or more people are entitled to use the lane etc. Examples of transit lanes can be found on Victoria Road, Anzac Parade and the Great Western Highway.
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14. Licence suspension
What is the difference between a licence suspension due to an accumulation of demerit points and a licence disqualification?
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The suspension of a licence is where the RTA withdraws your licence for a period of time and after the withdrawal period the licence becomes valid again (if it is still current). A disqualification on the other hand is where a court cancels your licence or if you don't already have a licence the court cancels your right to apply for a licence. Once your period of disqualification is over you will need to reapply for your licence again. The basic principle to remember here is that the RTA suspends your licence and the court is responsible for your licence being disqualified. It is also worth noting if you are disqualified from driving by the court, your demerit points are not reduced from your driving record when the disqualification ends. At the end of a licence suspension however, the demerit points are cleared (i.e. cleared in the sense they can't be counted towards further suspensions, however the points remain on your driving record for future reference to your driving history).
One form of licence suspension is where you accumulate the maximum demerit points allowed on your licence within a three year period. If you have a full unrestricted licence then you will have accumulated 13 demerit points, a P2 licence then you will have accumulated 7 demerit points, a P1 licence or learner licence then you will have accumulated 4 demerit points and if you have been granted a good behaviour licence (for 12 months) you will have accumulated 2 points.
Once you have reached your limit the suspension periods vary depending on the number of points lost. For an unrestricted licence an accumulation of 13 - 15 demerit points results in a licence suspension for 3 months. For 16 - 19 points the licence suspension period is 4 months and for 20 or more demerit points the suspension period is 5 months. For provisional and learner licence holders the suspension period is 3 months and for good behaviour licence the suspension period is double the original suspension period. Once your suspension period has ended you can start driving again provided your licence is current. If however your licence has expired during the suspension period you will need to renew your licence again before you commence driving again.
There is no right of appeal for an unrestricted licence holder who has lost 13 points against the suspension of their licence (unrestricted licence holders may still be eligible to apply for a good behaviour licence during which time they must not obtain 2 demerit points or more over a 12 month period). For a P1, P2 and learner licence holder on the other hand, there can be an appeal on the grounds of suspension based on reaching their demerit point limit (P plate drivers and learners however cannot apply for a good behaviour licence).
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15. Bus lane/Bus only lane
What is the difference between a Bus lane and a Bus only lane?
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Bus lanes are specially marked (or signposted) and can be used by buses, emergency vehicles, taxis, motorcycles and bicycles. According to the Road Rules in NSW exceptions include:
- the driver of any vehicle driving for up to 100 metres in a bus lane for the purpose of entering or leaving a road
- overtaking a vehicle turning right or doing a u turn in the middle of the road, going around or avoiding an obstruction, or
- if the traffic sign, or information with the traffic sign referring to the lane, allows the driver to drive in the lane.
Please note these exceptions do not apply to bus only lanes.
Bus only lanes on the other hand, are also signposted, however they are a special type of bus lane that can only be used by buses. They are found on many T-way routes throughout Sydney. One example of a of a Bus only lanes is located at the North-West T-way, and link Parramatta to Rouse Hill. Another example can be seen on the T-way route found in south western Sydney, between Liverpool and Parramatta.
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16. Licence renewal
Does the RTA have to send me a renewal for my driver's licence?
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No, the RTA does not have to send you a renewal for your driver's licence and if it fails to do so, or you do not receive one, this does not change the expiry of your licence. This further does not change the fact that you must renew your driver's licence before the expiry date, if you want to continue driving.
17. Fog Lights
Is it true that you can be booked for using fog lights as daytime running lights as a safety precaution, when it's not foggy?
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This is correct. In NSW you are not allowed to use fog lights unless the driver is driving in fog or mist or other hazardous atmospheric conditions that restrict your ability to see properly. In NSW drivers are also not permitted to use a light on or fitted in the driver's vehicle such that the light "dazzles" another road user, as this also breaches the NSW Road Rules.
Find out how fog lights or driving lights are different to 'daytime running lights'.
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18. Parking
I have heard that if I park my car in a parking area and then move the car a short distance away or even around the corner, I can still get booked for overstaying my time in that area?
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This is correct. The Road Rules in NSW state that a driver must not park continuously on a length or road or an area for longer than the period indicated on or with the permissive parking sign. For example 1P refers to one hour and 2P is for 2 hours etc.
Generally a permissive parking sign will indicate the length of road to which it applies by using arrows (i.e. one sign with an arrow pointing to the left and one sign with an arrow pointing to the right with the length of road in-between. If however there are no arrows and the sign refers to parking area, this means a length of road or area designed for parking vehicles.
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19. Older Driver's Licence
What is now required of older drivers before they can renew their licence?
Older Drivers are required to pass an annual medical test once they reach 75 years of age to ensure that they are medically fit to drive. Around eight weeks prior to an older driver's birthday the RTA will send them a form to be completed by their doctor if he or she considers that they are medically capable of driving. The older driver may discuss any restrictions they may wish to have on their licence with their doctor such as only driving locally or not driving at night. If an older driver's doctor does not consider a person fit to drive (or the doctor requires a second medical opinion) that doctor will forward on the form to the RTA. From either of these processes the older driver will hear the outcome from the RTA at a later date.
If on the other hand the older driver's doctor does consider them fit to drive, that doctor may refer the older driver for a driving assessment by sending the form directly to the RTA, or the older driver can either take the form to their local motor registry or post it to the RTA.
Once a driver turns 85 years old, a number of options are available in relation to renewing their licence. They can have a modified licence or sit a driving test every two years to retain their unrestricted licence. A modified driver's licence is where a driver is limited to when or where they can drive. For example disallowing night driving or only allowing the driver to drive locally.
If an older driver decided to do the practical assessment every two years, they can choose an RTA assessor or an older driver accredited assessor such as those provided by the NRMA. An accredited assessor requires payment for the service provided, and while there is no charge for the RTA's older driver test, there is a limit of three attempts. One of the benefits of having a private assessor is that they can come to the older driver's home and at a time that suits them with no limit to the amount of attempts they may have (provided the test is passed before their relevant birthday i.e. 85, 87 and 89 years etc.). Also they may choose which accredited assessor they prefer. More information on aged driver test preparation.
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20. Accidents
What am I legally required to do if I have a motor vehicle accident?
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If you have a minor motor vehicle accident/crash, you are required to stop and exchange full names, and addresses, registration number of all motor vehicles involved, (and also if it is not the driver's motor vehicle) the names and addresses of the vehicles owners to other drivers involved (or their representatives) as soon as possible (or at least within 24 hours). If every item in the first list below is satisfied (and none in the second list), then you have a minor motor vehicle crash and the crash does not need to be reported to the police (but may be if a person still feels the need to).
It takes only one item in the second list to be satisfied to have a major crash. A major crash must be reported to the police along with names and addresses of drivers involved, registration numbers of motor vehicles (or any other information necessary to identify a vehicle), name and address of the owner if not the driver and a version of how the crash occurred. A major crash must be reported as soon as possible, but in exceptional circumstances within 24 hours of the crash. Failure to report a major crash can result in a penalty notice being issued. Please note also that the law in NSW further requires a driver involved in a crash to stop and give assistance to anyone who is injured.
| Minor Motor Vehicle Crash |
Major Motor Vehicle Crash |
| No persons are injured |
Any person is killed or injured |
| No vehicles require towing |
Any of the motor vehicles require towing |
| All details (name, address and registration number) are exchanged between drivers /vehicle owners (or their representatives. No police officer asks for any of the required particulars |
A driver fails to exchange details (name, address and registration number) with other drivers, vehicle owners, owners of damaged property, injured parties or their representatives or representatives of deceased parties involved in the crash |
| There is no other property damage other than the motor vehicles involved |
There is property damage other than the motor vehicles involved |
| No driver is under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs |
A driver is under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs |
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21. Learner drivers
Can you lose points or lose your licence on the spot if you are a learner driver?
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Yes, the demerit point scheme includes learner drivers and you can lose points (or gain demerit points). Also learner drivers can lose their licence on the spot for various offences, some of which are stated below.
Losing points actually means gaining demerit points. Learner Drivers are able to reach a total of four demerit points before they lose their licence. Failing to display 'L' plates (correctly on the outside of the car) attracts two demerit points, using a mobile phone (including hands free or speaker phones) attracts three demerit points and unlike other licence holders, learner drivers attract a minimum of four demerit points if they are caught speeding. If a learner driver does receive a penalty of four or more demerit points within three years, their licence will be suspended or they will be unable to renew their licence or apply for a new licence for a minimum of three months.
Also a learner driver can lose their licence on the spot for:
- driving without a supervisor
- an extra three months if they speed 30 km over the limit or
- an extra six months if they speed 45 km over the limit.
Learner drivers do have the right of appeal to the local court if their licence is refused or suspended.
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22. Provisional (P1) drivers licence
I'm just about to get my P1 provisional driver licence. What rules must I follow?
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P1 provisional drivers must comply with the following rules;
- Personal responsibility - You must ensure that P plates (red P on a white background) are displayed clearly on an external part of the front and back of your vehicle (or on the back of a trailer if using one), you must not exceed a zero blood alcohol limit and you cannot use any mobile phone including hand held, hands free or speaker phone.
- Conditions on driving - You cannot exceed a maximum speed of 90 km/hr (any speeding offence incurs 4 demerit points, resulting in a minimum of three months suspension), you can only tow trailers up to 250 kilos (before loading) and you cannot drive certain prohibited vehicles, these include prohibited vehicles with eight or more cylinders, has a turbocharged or supercharged engine (diesel powered engines are exempt) and some high performance six cylinder vehicles (see below). You also cannot drive any vehicle that has any modifications that increase engine performance or any other vehicle specified by the RTA see - prohibited eight cylinder vehicles and performance vehicle restrictions
- Peer Passenger Condition - If under the age of 25, you can only carry one passenger under the age of 21 between 11pm and 5am. Exceptions to the rule include emergency vehicle drivers such as police officers, ambulance drivers, members of fire services within NSW while driving in the performance of their duties, or any other driver able to show exceptional circumstances and obtain RTA approval.
- Seatbelts - You can only carry the number of passengers that can be correctly seated and restrained by either seatbelts or approved child restraints and you can only drive vehicles that have a seatbelt in the driver's position and you must wear it.
- Licence - You may hold a P1 provisional drivers licence for up to 18 months, but you must hold it for a minimum of 12 months. If tested in an automatic (or cluchless manual) you can only drive an automatic (or clutchless manual), you cannot supervise a learner driver and you cannot upgrade your licence to a higher class (for example a class "C" licence allows you to drive cars, utilities, vans and some light trucks etc.) but not drive vehicles with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of over 4.5 tonnes such as buses which seat more than 12 people etc. Finally, you must not accumulate the maximum (for a P1 provisional driver) of 4 demerit points.
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23. Provisional (P2) driver licence
I've just finished the minimum period on my P1 provisional driver licence and have successfully completed the Hazard Perception Test (HPT). What rules must I follow for the P2 driver provisional licence?
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As a P2 provisional driver licence holder you must comply with the following rules;
- Must have P plates (green P on a white background) displayed clearly on an external part of the front and back of your car (or on the back of a trailer if using one).
- Must not exceed zero blood alcohol limit.
- Must not exceed a maximum speed of 100 km/hr.
- You cannot supervise a learner driver.
- You can only carry the number of passengers that can be correctly seated and restrained by either seatbelts or approved child restraints.
- You can only drive vehicles that have a seatbelt in the driver's position and you must wear it.
- You cannot drive certain prohibited vehicles. That is, you must not drive a vehicle with eight or more cylinders, has a turbocharged or supercharged engine (diesel powered engines are exempt) and some high performance six cylinder vehicles (see below). You also cannot drive any vehicle that has any modifications that increase engine performance or any other vehicle specified by the RTA see prohibited eight cylinder vehicles and high performance vehicle restrictions
- You may hold a P2 Provisional drivers licence for up to 30 months, but you must hold it for a minimum of 24 months.
- You must not accumulate the maximum (for a P2 provisional driver) of 7 demerit points.
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