New Australian road rules coming into force within days - with huge fines for those who break the rules

Daily Mail​

24-06-2025

Motorists are being warned to familiarise themselves with new road rules aimed at reducing the growing death toll on Australian roads.
The new rules, coming into effect on July 1, include stricter speed limits and increased penalties, with fines reaching into the four-figure range.
These changes coincide with the continued rollout of high-tech, AI-powered surveillance cameras, which are replacing older models and proving more effective at catching those breaking the laws.
For example, on the Tasman Bridge in Hobart, newly installed automatic speed cameras are catching over 700 speeding drivers each week.
The Sensys Gatso cameras, which replaced outdated 1990s-era models in March, can monitor multiple vehicles across several lanes - something the older cameras couldn't do.
In comparison, the old cameras detected just 624 speeding vehicles in 2020–21 and 458 in 2021–22. The new system now identifies more than 700 speeding incidents every week.
Sensys Gatso also operates 16 mobile speed cameras across Tasmania, which have recorded over 60,000 speeding offences in the past 12 months alone.
In Queensland and NSW and WA, AI-equipped cameras have been introduced to detect mobile phone use and seatbelt violations.
Mobile phone detection cameras use artificial intelligence to identify illegal phone use by drivers and operate in all weather conditions, including fog and heavy rain.
The system uses AI to automatically review images, flagging those that likely show a driver using a mobile phone illegally.
Images of non-offending drivers are excluded from further action.
All flagged images are reviewed by authorised personnel. Both fixed and transportable versions of these cameras use the same advanced technology.
Meanwhile, Western Australia added six new mobile cameras at the end of 2024, with four additional 'smart cameras' reportedly planned for Perth freeways.
New South Wales
The warning period for the NSW Government's new average speed camera trial for light cars is about to expire, with the usual penalties for speeding offences to apply from July 1.
Heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses have been subject to average speed camera monitoring since 2010, but this is the first time the technology has been applied to light vehicles.
The cameras are currently set up in two locations – a 15km stretch between Kew and Lake Innes (near Port Macquarie), and a 16km section of the Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai.
They were activated on May 1 this year, and until June 30 they will continue be in 'warning mode', meaning anyone who exceeds the posted speed limit by 30km/h or less will receive a warning letter encouraging a change in driving behaviour. (Speeding offences 31km/h or more above the posted limit are still subject to penalties.)
From midnight on July 1, 2025, average speed cameras will enforce all speeding offences, with penalties including fines, demerit points, and potential loss of licence.
To alert drivers, these zones are indicated with a sign featuring a large camera image and the text 'AVERAGE SPEED SAFETY CAMERA'.
The average speed camera trial period for light vehicles will continue until June 30, 2026, at which time the road safety benefits will be evaluated.
NSW will also get rid of ticketless parking fines, following a barrage of complaints from drivers who unknowingly received a fine without any physical notice.
Councils will be required to issue on-the-spot notifications for most parking infringements, ending the practice of sending fines by mail.
Queensland
Queensland will be increasing fines and the cost car registrations by more than three per cent from July 1.
It comes after the Labor government froze the cost of registrations and fines until September 2025.
The Sunshine State will also reduce the speed limits in selected busy areas- including Hervey Bay Esplanade and other urban areas - from 50km/h to 40km/h.
Victoria
Motorists across Victoria will be required to slow down to 40km/h while driving past tow trucks, roadside assistance vehicles or incident response vehicles while their alarm is on or their lights are flashing.
Drivers will have to slow down on all road types, including freeways, and failure to do so could result in a fine of up to $961.
The change is an amendment to Victoria's Road Rule 79A and is in addition to the 10km/h or slower limit around stationary or slow-moving police or emergency vehicles.
South Australia
South Australia will also be introducing a rule similar to Victoria, but with harsher penalties.
Drivers will be required to slow down to 25km/h when passing stationary roadside, emergency or breakdown vehicles when their lights are flashing.
The rule only applies to multi-lane roads, with drivers travelling on the opposite side of the road not required to slow down.
Those who are caught breaking the new road rule could be slapped with a massive $1,648 fine and a whopping seven demerit points.
Western Australia
Drivers in Western Australia face increased fines of up to $700 and five demerit points if they are caught using a mobile device.
The state has also raised the fine for extreme speeding to more than $1,600.
Repeat offenders caught breaking mobile phone rules or driving at excessive speeds risk having their licence suspended.
The state is also reducing speed limits on major urban roads including parts of Margaret River areas, Bayview Drive and more than 1,800 regional roads.
That means speed limits ranging from 70 to 110km/h will be reduced to 60km/h from July 1.
A speed limit of 40km/h will be enforced in high pedestrian areas including Augusta town centre and surrounding streets.
The new rules have been introduced in a bid to improve safety and curb the state's road toll.