Young Aussie driver cops $500 fine for common traffic light mistake

The driver's traffic act has left Aussies divided about whether or not she should cop the fine and three demerit points off her driver's licence.

Courtney Greatrex
·News Editor
Updated ·3-min read
Charli pictured left, was in the black Volvo, seen right at a traffic intersection when she was alleged to turn right against a red arrow.
Charli was at an intersection when she copped a fine for an offence she claims she didn't commit. Source: TikTok/charliijjane

A young Australian driver erupted after she copped a hefty fine for a traffic offence she claimed she didn't commit — but not everyone agreed with her.

Charli, 18, says she received a $500 fine and three demerit points off her driver's licence after turning right in her Volvo at a traffic light on Fitzroy Street in Melbourne last month. While it's alleged she ran a red light, Charli is adamant the light was green when she followed several cars turning during the incident last month.

"I’m turning right, it’s a green light. It’s safe to go," she said in a video posted online. "They want me to pay $500 and lose three demerit points. I’m a year 12 student and I’m 18. "One, I don’t have the money for that and I can’t lose demerit points, and I didn’t do anything wrong."

Charli said she appealed the fine but her request was denied, but has since told Yahoo News Australia she is considering taking the matter to court.

Charli (left) describing the moment before her red light fine (right).
A second image shows Charli's black Volvo about to turn at the traffic lights. Source: Tiktok/charliijjane

While it's unclear what did or did not unfold at the traffic lights from the grainy image provided to her by transport authorities, Aussies were just as divided over whether she should cop the fine, or fight back in court.

"Green light is to go straight, you turned right on a red arrow," said one viewer. Others disagreed and urged her to take the matter to court.

"That intersection is the actual worst," added another, saying many are caught out in the same way.

In a second video, Charli shared that she would "have to pay it". “Apparently it’s a red arrow. I didn’t know that. You can't see it in the photos.

"It is what it is. I guess I’ll have to pay it. It’s 500 and three demerit points later but coz I was halfway through the intersection, and my back tyres were not fully in that’s triggered the camera."

Charli isn't the only driver to be caught out by a red light camera recently. A NSW driver copped a $544 fine for entering an "intersection after the light turned red".

The "photographic evidence" in that case reportedly alleged the driver was turning right and has therefore gone through a red light, but the driver argued they were simply waiting for the cars ahead to move forward so they could go straight through the green light. However, the city has ordered them to cough up the dough, claiming the motorist was trying to turn right despite an obvious red arrow.

Another Victorian motorist got a $481 fine and three demerit points for driving through a red light seconds after it changed in a desperate attempt to get out of a fire engine’s path.

While the penalty of running a red light varies from state to state, in Victoria, failing to obey traffic lights, both red-light and red-light arrow, incurs a penalty of $494 and 3 demerit points. It's the most expensive in Queensland, where running a red light will cost a driver 3 demerit points and a $575 fine.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.

Latest stories