Articles by Emma Size

Is it illegal to drive on prescription drugs? Well, yes and no. It all depends on the medication. When we think of driving under the influence of drugs, we usually think illicit substances. But according to Health Direct, an initiative of the Australian federal government, it’s actually illegal to drive under the influence of any drugs that impair your ability to drive - including legal medications.The NSW Road and Maritime Services (RMS) guidelines on drugs and alcohol clearly state that it’s illegal to drive while affected by drugs, but goes on to clarify that some over-the-counter and prescription drugs may be legally taken while driving while others may not.In short, it is your responsibility as a driver to always read the labels of any medication you’re taking and to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether or not your driving will be affected. Never get behind the wheel if the label, or a medical professional, tells you that your concentration, mood, coordination or reactions as a driver could be compromised by a medication. In particular, the RMS warns that painkillers, sleeping pills, medications for allergies, some diet pills and some cold and flu medicines can impair your ability to drive.The Northern Territory government’s website has almost identical advice for driving on prescription drugs, while the Queensland government’s website also warns that some alternative medicines, such as herbal remedies, can affect driving.According to Access Canberra, it’s illegal to drive in the ACT while your ability is affected by illness, injury or medical treatment - and, as is the case around Australia, it’s illegal to hold a licence without reporting any permanent or long-term illness or injury that could affect your ability to drive safely.When you do report it, you may be required to undertake a medical assessment with a GP in order to get your licence. If you’re in the ACT and unsure as to whether or not you need to report a medical condition, you can phone Access Canberra on 13 22 81.According to the South Australian government, the common roadside saliva-swab drug tests don't detect prescription or common over-the-counter medications such as cold and flu tablets, but drivers who are impaired by drugs that are either prescription or illicit can still be prosecuted. It’s pretty safe to assume that if driving in Tasmania, Western Australia, or Victoria, you’d also be at risk of being prosecuted if you were caught driving under the influence of a prescription drug that is known to impair driving. For more specific information about driving with diabetes, you can visit the Diabetes Australia website and for information about driving with epilepsy, you can consult the Epilepsy Action Australia website on driving.And always remember that, while you should consult your insurance agreement for the most accurate information, if you have a collision while under the influence of medication that impairs driving, it’s almost certain that your insurance coverage will be voided. This article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here is suitable to your situation before driving.

Yes, it's illegal to speed while passing another car. In fact, it's illegal to drive in excess of the speed limit at any time, no matter the circumstances.It's a common misconception that you can speed when overtaking, particularly when you're driving on country roads and you rightly want to get past as fast as possible. But while it might feel safer to try and complete an overtaking move quickly, you must always obey the speed limits or risk a significant fine. According to the Royal Automobile Association, the reason you can't speed while passing a car is because courts describe driving over the speed limit as an absolute offence - one that doesn't have exceptions and for which there are no excuses. However, the RAA also notes that it's illegal for a driver to increase their speed while another car is trying to pass. While most states and territories don't directly address how to pass cars on the road safely, there are a couple of exceptions. The New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services website has a page dedicated to overtaking, as does the Western Australia's Road Safety Comission website.Both pages repeatedly advise that overtaking other vehicles can be dangerous as it's difficult to judge the amount of distance required to complete the manoeuvre safely, but that this difficulty can't be mitigated by speeding. They reiterate that some of the dangers of overtaking can be lessened through the behaviour of drivers who are being passed; if someone is trying to pass you, you should keep left, stay in your lane, and refrain from increasing your speed. The exact penalties for driving in excess of the speed limit differ state by state and vary in severity according to just how fast you've been caught driving. But beware, the penalties include fines and demerit point penalties.As always, remember that if you're caught speeding, then you could be in breach of your insurance agreement. While you should always check your specific agreement for details, be aware that any unlawful behaviour could jeopardise your coverage. This article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here.

Yes, Australian Vehicle Standards demand that you drive with a passenger side mirror at all times. Having your passenger side mirror swiped or in some way damaged would have to be one of the most common risks of parking your car on the street. How many of us have made our way back to our car at some point, only to

Technically yes, as it's a safety hazard to not have a working horn.

Well the answer is yes and no, as it comes down to whether or not the laws around obscene exposure view your shirtless body as sexual.

Yes, it's illegal to drive without compulsory third party insurance in all states and territories of Australia as this insurance provides financial compensation in the event of bodily harm in an accident.While there are many kinds of insurance that you might choose to risk not having, like life insurance, home contents insurance, or travel insurance, compulsory third party insurance (also known as CTP insurance and usually called a green slip in New South Wales) is, yep, compulsory!According to the Insurance Council of Australia, CTP insurance is a requirement in all states and territories of Australia and it covers compensation for all bodily harm that your vehicle might cause in a collision. This legal requirement for everyone on the road exists to make sure that when accidents happen, compensation for injuries is guaranteed. But it doesn't protect you from being financially liable for anything other than causing bodily harm, and doesn't cover you for any damage caused to your vehicle, so it's important that you also look into different, additional kinds of car insurance like comprehensive insurance, fire and theft only and third party property only.So how do you make sure that you don't get caught out without CTP insurance? Well the most important thing you need to do is only drive cars that are registered and keep any cars that you own registered, as CTP insurance is required as part of the registration process - although it's important to note that the process differs from state to state. As Compare The Market explains, CTP insurance is included in your registration in most states, but in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, you have to choose your CTP insurer.The penalties for driving unregistered and uninsured vary across Australia, but in general you're looking at some pretty hefty fines.According to the New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services website, in NSW you'll risk a $607 fine for driving a vehicle that's unregistered and a $530 fine for driving a vehicle that's uninsured. In South Australia, according to the Royal Automobile Association, you can be fined $366 plus a $60 victims of crime levy for driving an unregistered vehicle and a whopping $677 plus a $60 victims of crime levy for driving a vehicle not insured with compulsory third party insurance.Obviously, since CTP insurance exists to protect you from financial burden in the event of an accident, if you drive without it then you're not only risking getting in trouble with the law but you're also putting yourself in a very precarious position in the event of a crash. You'll be financially liable.This article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here is suitable to your situation before driving in this manner.

Yes, the Australian Vehicle Standards Act requires you to drive with a rearview mirror at all times.You could be the most confident and skilled driver in the world, but if you get behind the wheel without a rearview mirror, you're putting yourself and others at risk. Your rearview mirror is an essential part of your vehicle's safety offering, and the reason is every bit as obvious as you might expect - it allows you to see behind your car, either when reversing or when you're on the road.Quite rightly, then, it's illegal to drive without a rearview mirror, according to the Australian Vehicle Standards.In New South Wales, the demerit point guidelines point out that driving without a rearview mirror not only increases your risk of collision greatly, but will also earn you a $112 fine for driving a vehicle that doesn't comply with standards of roadworthiness.According to the VicRoads fines and penalties website, driving without an uninterrupted view of the road will get you a fine of $238. And you'd also be at risk of getting stung for driving a vehicle that's unsafe or doesn't comply with standards of registration, for which the fine is $396.According to the QLD government's demerit points schedule, driving, parking or permitting use of a vehicle that doesn't comply with Australian Vehicle Standards will set you back a $130 fine and earn you one demerit point.The ACT government's extensive traffic infringement document is very clear on driving without a compliant rearview mirror; you'll cop a $193 fine. The Tasmanian traffic offences list is similarly clear - use or permit use of a vehicle that doesn't meet rearview mirror requirements, and you're at risk of a $159 fine. We couldn't find any specific legislation for South Australia or the Northern Territory, but since Australian vehicle standards require all cars to have a rearview mirror, it's safe to assume that driving without one could get you pulled over and penalised. There was also a lack of information from Western Australia's road authority but if you'd like to know more you can call the WA Demerit point hotline on 1300 720 111. And of course, if you have a collision while you're driving without a rearview mirror, your insurance coverage could be at risk. While you should always check your specific agreement for details, be aware that driving a non-compliant vehicle is not only illegal, but could also jeopardise your insurance. Finally, this article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here is suitable to your situation before driving in this manner.

Yes, it's illegal to text while driving - or to even touch a hand-held device while you're behind the wheel - because mobile phone use has been proven to increase your risk of having an accident.These days, most of us rely on texting as our key means of communication, and as such, many of us are masters of the mobile keyboard, able to fire off texts with barely a second thought. And so, when you're paused at the traffic lights, it can be very tempting to shoot off a text confirming that you're on your way or picking up milk.But the consequences of texting while you're driving should be enough to encourage you to pull over if you need to send a message. Not only are you risking an accident by dividing your attention, but you're also risking a hefty penalty in all states and territories of Australia.According to South Australia's MyLicence website, using a mobile phone while driving makes you four times more likely to have a crash.Unsurprisingly, then, it's illegal to create, send or look at a text while you're on the road (so that means both while you're driving and when you're stationary but not parked). Western Australia's Road Safety Commission also specifies that creating, sending or looking at a text while you're driving is illegal, and that it will cost you a $400 fine and three demerit points.Vic Roads information on driving with mobile phones clearly states that texting on the road impairs your physical, visual and cognitive abilities, and often leads to missing road hazards. As such, the penalty for texting while driving in Victoria is an on-the-spot fine of $476 and four demerit points.In New South Wales and Tasmania, the penalties for touching a phone for any reason while on the road are pretty similar; as per the NSW Roads and Maritime Services demerits schedule, you're risking a $330 fine and four demerit points, while according to the Tasmanian Police, you're looking at a $300 fine and three demerit points.In Queensland, as per the state government's website on driving and mobile phones, you're risking a $378 fine and three demerit points if you use your mobile phone while driving, stopped at the lights or stationary in congested traffic.Similarly, the Northern Territory government's traffic offences site states that you're facing a $250 fine and three demerit points if you text while driving. And according to the Australian Federal Police webpage on driver distraction, in the ACT you're risking up to four demerit points for driving distracted, a $447 fine for using a hand-held mobile while driving or a $548 fine for messaging or social networking.It's also worth remembering that, if you have a collision while you're breaking the law, there's a chance that your insurance coverage will be voided. While you should always check your specific agreement for details, be aware that any unlawful behaviour could jeopardise your insurance.A quick note; this article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here is suitable to your situation.

Yes and no, as it's not illegal if you're on your full licence but in some states, if you're on your L plates or your P plates, the law says you need to ditch the Bluetooth and stay completely focused on the road.Life doesn't stop when you're driving; the texts and calls keep coming in when you're on the road and sometimes it's very tempting to pick up a phone call on a long commute, or text someone when stationary at a red light.But in 2012 the nation amended the Australian Road Rules, a national set of laws around what's legal and illegal on the road, to criminalise the use of hand-held mobiles while behind the wheel of a car. The ability to use hands-free technology for phone calls is permitted in this national road law, as long as drivers can use the technology without touching their phone at all while driving. But the specific penalties, and whether or not this law differs for drivers on their provisional licence or learner's permit, vary across the different states and territories of Australia.In New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory, the laws are pretty similar; to put it simply, you can use a hands-free device if you're on your full licence but not if you're still on your Ls or your Ps. While the penalties vary a bit across the states, in NSW, according to the NSW Roads and Maritime Services demerits schedule, you're looking at a $330 fine and four demerit points if you use a mobile phone in any way when you don't have your full licence yet. And in the NT, according to the NT government's webpage on traffic offences, learners and provisional licence holders are looking at a $250 fine and three demerit points for any use of a mobile phone.In Queensland, there are additional rules in place for provisional licence holders and learners. According to the QLD government's webpage on driving with mobile phones, learners and P1 provisional drivers under the age of 25 must not use hands-free, wireless headsets or a mobile phone's loudspeaker - and their passengers are also not allowed to use the loudspeaker function on a mobile phone.In Western Australia, the same national laws on using hand-free devices apply. But as per the WA Road Safety Commission there's no distinction made between drivers who are on their Ls or Ps and those on their full licence; it's perfectly legal for drivers with all types of licences to use their mobile hands-free.While we couldn't find information clarifying whether or not drivers with L plates and/or P plates can use hands-free technology in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, the Australian Federal Police's webpage on driver distraction makes an important point about the legality of using hands-free while driving. Although it is technically legal, you should be careful to limit your use of hands-free technology to short, relatively unemotional phone calls, as you risk being prosecuted for failing to have control over your vehicle if your driving is affected by the distraction of being on the phone. This is definitely something to be aware of as it means that, in the event of a crash, your insurance could be affected if you are alleged to have not had full control over your vehicle - although this may or may not be the case, dependent on your specific insurance agreement. Of course, you should always consult the details of your specific insurance coverage for the most accurate information.This article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here is suitable to your situation before driving in this manner.

Yes, driving with van doors open, or with your doors open in any other kind of car, is illegal because it's a hazard to others on the road.