NSW Police fine of $349 awaits anyone trying this stunt on our roads
While it may seem like a harmless prank, impersonate the sound of an emergency vehicle is something New South Wales Police take very seriously.
This silly trick may land potential suspects in hot water as it goes against the road rules in New South Wales.
Faking emergency sirens can panic nearby motorists and waste the resources of the police so it is severely frowned upon. But just how much could this move cost you?
Breaking this road rule could cost pedestrians a $76 NSW Police fine
$464 fine awaits anyone caught in this rude act on the roads
Road rules protecting emergency services
To ensure that the emergency services are fully protected while out on the roads, the NSW government has brought in a road rule to stop anyone from faking a siren sound.
Rule 224-1 in the NSW Road Rules Act explicitly states that drivers and passengers are not allowed to mimic or replicate a siren using any type of device.
It’s a rule that can be applied any time a vehicle is on the road, meaning someone can be stationary in a car park and still be punished in the same way as if they were moving on the road.
The only vehicles that are defined in the rule to use a siren are any vehicles belonging to the emergency services or councils regardless if it is a standard emergency vehicle or an unmarked one.
Surprisingly, this rule is found only in NSW meaning that drivers in any other Australian state won’t be punished for trying this stunt.
A costly road rules breach
If anyone - a driver or passengers - in NSW caught mimicking a siren while sitting in a vehicle, NSW Police will issue them with a fine of $349.
It’s a relatively light punishment considering that other offences that hinder emergency services on the roads usually bring about large fines and see demerit points added to your licence.
For example, anyone who fails to pull over for emergency services will cop a fine of $464 and earn three points onto their licence.
Furthermore, anyone who speeds past stationary emergency vehicles or deliberately moves into their way will also face similar punishments from NSW Police.
It’s here where drivers across Australia will fall afoul of local road rules as these laws are in place across every state in the country giving offenders no excuse for disrupting active emergency vehicles.
Taking this all into context, it’s important to ensure that drivers recognise when an emergency vehicle is approaching and it’s why the authorities in NSW have implemented extra road rules to ensure that motorists are aware of their presence at all times.
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