A motorist was left confused after he managed to avoid a $1,028 fine and five demerit points despite being caught speeding on the motorway.
On August 13, the driver was caught driving more than 20 km/h above the speed limit on the Dukes Highway in Keith, South Australia.
The motorist, who from Melbourne Unpleasant Adelaidewas pulled over for failing to reduce his speed when he left an 80 km/h zone and entered a 60 km/h zone.
They were told to expect a fine in the mail, but were stunned when they instead received a formal warning in their letterbox.
The confused motorist shared a photo of a ticket on Reddit, which showed he did not have to pay a fine.
“There is no due date and the amount is $0. Do I need to do anything now?” they wrote.
Social media users were shocked that the driver got away without a fine.
“In Queensland they would give the maximum fine and maximum sentences and then look for something else,” one wrote.
The confused motorist uploaded a photo of a fine notice (pictured) to Reddit after receiving the letter in the mail stating that the violation did not result in a financial penalty
‘A warning for 20-29 km/h over the limit? You South Africans are living in heaven! In Western Australia it’s a few hundred,’ wrote another.
“This is how they formally register your alert into their system,” one person wrote.
‘If you do something like that again and the police see it in your criminal record, you will absolutely be blamed.’
Exceeding the speed limit of 20 to 29 km/h carries a fine of $1,028, which includes the fine and the adult levy under the South Australian Road Traffic Act.
In addition, five penalty points will be assessed for this violation.
A South Australia Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the letter was a formal warning.
“The police acted with restraint in these circumstances and issued the offending driver a warning for speeding,” the spokeswoman said.
‘Issuing the notice is a formal way of recording the warning’.
A former police officer explained how drivers can increase their chances of receiving a warning instead of a fine.
“Driving behavior and attitude are the primary factors that determine whether a non-traffic officer issues a ticket,” they wrote.
Not all states and territories in Australia issue speeding ticket notices warning drivers of speeding offences.
Exceeding the speed limit of 20 to 29 km/h carries a fine of $1,028, including the fine and the adult levy under the South Australian Road Traffic Act (stock image)
A Queensland Police spokeswoman told the Daily Mail the warning is not being enforced in the Sunshine State.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said no speeding tickets are issued in the state, but fines are issued if a speeding offence is committed.
“Victoria Police will only issue a fine with the prescribed penalty and penalty points,” the spokeswoman said.
‘If a speeding violation is detected where the alleged speed is less than 10 km/h and the driver has good driving behaviour, he/she can request an official warning’.
A Tasmania Police spokesman said the state does not issue such warnings.
The Daily Mail has contacted all state and territory police departments for further comment.