Urgent warning over huge $533 fine for common driving act that almost every Aussie has secretly done

Motorists could face hefty fines due to a series of unusual road laws that few Australian drivers obey.

Speeding, drink driving and drug-related offenses account for the majority of traffic violations, but there are many lesser-known—indeed, totally unknown—rules of the road that could ensnare even the most conscientious driver. .

Motorists planning a road trip this holiday season should quickly brush up on the rules of the road by consulting the list below:

1. Throwing the apple core out of the car window: $533 and two demerit points.

Drivers who dump ‘noxious matter on a road’ could be fined for littering, even if the object is biodegradable. Queensland law means ‘throwers’ could be fined $533 and two demerit points for throwing a banana peel or apple outside their vehicle.

2. Toot horn and wave goodbye: $698 and three points

Drivers in New South Wales could be fined $349 for the friendly farewell honk as it constitutes “unnecessary use of the horn or warning device”. Adding a wave to the cheery farewell could double the offense as ‘body part outside vehicle’ is another $349 fine.

3. Using your phone to pay at a drive-thru: $534 fine

The dangers of using a mobile phone are well documented, but the strict laws extend to the self-service window. Depending on the state, motorists could be fined up to $534 and could lose a whopping five demerit points. To avoid the costly fine, Australians must turn off the engine and have the parking brake on before using a mobile phone to pay for their fast food.

4. Going through a gas station: $349 and three demerit points

Motorists stuck in traffic or queuing at a red light and in a hurry to reach their destination could be ticketed for driving through a gas station. The tempting shortcut is illegal, as it falls under the ‘drive on or over the trail’ rule of the road. The fine, designed to protect pedestrians, could cost drivers $349 and three demerit points.

5. Splashing at pedestrians: $187 fine

In New South Wales, drivers who deliberately splash people waiting for the bus could be fined. As entertaining as it is, motorists would do well to avoid those puddles. Pedestrians on the sidewalk are exempt from this strange rule.

6. Speeding while being passed: $344 and two demerit points

This common and infuriating practice causes drivers to speed up when another vehicle tries to pass. Drivers caught doing this could be fined $344 and lose two demerit points in NSW and $330 and two demerit points in Victoria.

7. Flashing lights to warn others of speed cameras or RBTs: $116 and one point

Although appreciated by many, this act of ‘community service’ is illegal. Turning a vehicle’s headlights on and off to warn other drivers of the police presence is a $116 fine and one demerit point. Previously, the offense referred to the use of high beams in a built-up area, but now it is “using high beams toward an oncoming vehicle.” In NSW drivers can be fined if their high beams are out in fog and inclement weather.

8. Driving on the natural strip in a school zone: $464 fine and four points

Drivers who pull onto a sidewalk or center strip while in a school zone could be hit with a hefty ticket, no matter how narrow the street or how difficult it is to find a parking space.

9. Failing to Yield to Horses: $130 Fine

Although horses are no longer a common mode of transportation, it is illegal for a motorist to fail to yield to a hard-to-control horse. The rider would signal that the horse refuses to move by raising a hand and pointing at the horse. Drivers should move to the left, turn off the engine, and wait. Drivers who choose to ignore this rule could be fined $130 in Queensland.

10. Leaving the key in the ignition = $114 fine

Approximately 1,000 NSW drivers a year are fined for leaving the key in the ignition unattended. Although convenient, motorists are urged to avoid the practice.