$545 fine awaits car passengers who break this basic road rule
You may think road rules are aimed solely at drivers but passengers also need to make sure they're doing the right thing.
Especially when it comes to anything that would interfere with the driver or obstruct their view of the road.
Big fines await passengers who are caught distracting the driver. So how can passengers be punished for messing about on the roads?
Road rules protecting drivers
With the driver being in direct control of the vehicle, it seems only fair there are road rules to protect them from distractions.
So it’s not surprising that each Australian state has corresponding penalties on their books.
NSW: Anyone on the roads in New South Wales who interferes with the driver of a vehicle risks copping a fine of $116 from NSW Police.
SA: Passengers who obstruct drivers on South Australian roads ought to prepare for a big fine as the pesky act carries a $457 penalty.
TAS: Tasmanian authorities won’t hesitate to dish out a $173 fine to any passenger they catch directly interfering with the driver of their vehicle.
ACT: In Canberra, the fine comes in at $205.
VIC: Across Victoria, passengers found interfering with a driver of a vehicle will be given a fine worth three penalty units, equating to a hefty total of $545.
QLD: Queensland Police will hand out a fine of $275 for reckless passenger behaviour.
WA: Authorities in Western Australia meanwhile are more lenient, with a penalty of just $50 likely to be handed down.
NT: By classing driver interference as a general offence, passengers in the Northern Territory will be handed a fine of one penalty unit by NT Police which equates to $157.
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