posted on June 24, 2024
For a complete and up to date overview of ACT road rules, visit Access Canberra. Whatever vehicle you’re using in the ACT you must know and follow the road rules. These rules may change so it’s your responsibility to keep aware of any changes.
The Australian capital of Canberra boasts a wealth of iconic landmarks, tourist attractions, and natural beauty, from Parliament House to the Australian War Memorial as well as the National Gallery of Australia, Lake Burley Griffin and the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
Safe to say, there’s no shortage of things to see and places to explore in Canberra. While a road trip or weekend drive makes for the perfect mode of discovery, it’s important to familiarise yourself with ACT road rules to ensure you’re prepared for whatever the trip has in store.
From tips to ensure a seamless trip in your motor vehicle to personal mobility devices, demerit points, and regulations for learner drivers, we’ve got you covered with a guide to driving laws and regulations in Canberra. Let’s dive in!
An overview of ACT (Australian Capital Territory) road rules
Regardless of the vehicle you’re driving, understanding ACT road rules is crucial for remaining safe on the road and avoiding the stress of unforeseen hazards or obstacles on the road. Particularly for those who aren’t familiar with the region, it’s important to understand road rules specific to Canberra so you can avoid fines and demerit points on your licence.
- Speed limits: You’ll find speed limits displayed on signage along all roads. Where there are no street signs, the default speed limit is 50 km/h unless otherwise indicated.
- School zones: Limits are typically 40 km/h in school zones and are enforced at certain times of the day. Be sure to reduce your speed when entering a school zone and follow all signage or directions as they apply to the zone. With children and pedestrians in the area, it’s important to drive safely.
- Parking regulations: Be sure to obey all parking signs and specific time limits, as fees and restrictions apply to parking depending on the location.
- Seatbelts: Like anywhere else in Australia, seatbelts must be worn by all occupants of a vehicle, including passengers in the back seat. Children must be appropriately restrained in a car seat or booster seat according to their age, height, and weight. Be sure to check these and fit them into your car properly before driving.
- Mobile phones: It’s illegal to use a handheld mobile device while driving in the ACT. Whether you’re making a call, texting, or using another function of your phone, none of this is permitted. Hands-free devices are OK, however these should not be a distraction to the driver.
- Driving on the left: Like the rest of Australia, you’ll drive on the left-hand side of the road in Canberra.
- Drink driving: In the ACT, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers is 0.05. Anything more than this can result in heavy fines, licence suspension, and imprisonment.
- Traffic lights and signage: Traffic lights and signage are to be obeyed at all times. The same applies to an area of heavy roadworks, where you should follow the signage mapped out for you.
- Roundabouts: A common occurrence in the ACT, drivers approaching a roundabout must give way to any vehicles already in the roundabout. If turning left, be sure to indicate left before entering the roundabout. If turning right or making a U-turn, you should indicate right before entering the roundabout.
- Pedestrian crossings: At any marked pedestrian crossing, drivers must give way to the pedestrian. This includes zebra crossings, pedestrian traffic lights, and other marked crossing points. Be sure to reduce your speed in areas with high pedestrian traffic and come to a complete stop at the crossing.
The ACT Road Rules Handbook
With essential knowledge for those learning to drive, the ACT road rules handbook is an invaluable resource that will ensure you understand signage, road rules, and motor vehicle information as it applies to Canberra. Even for those who have a full driver’s licence, it’s worth reading. The information contained will keep you up-to-date on the latest road rules changes, so you can drive safely when behind the wheel.
Key insights offered in the ACT road rules handbook include:
- Medical history: Anyone applying for a driver’s licence must meet the medical declaration on the reverse side of the driver’s licence application form. If you suffer from any medical conditions that may affect your ability to drive, these must be reported to the ACT Road Transport Authority.
- Drugs and alcohol: Driving under the influence of drugs is both dangerous and a criminal offence. Regardless of what licence class you hold, the safest BAC for driving is zero.
- Mobile phone usage: It’s illegal for drivers and riders in the ACT to use their mobile phones for anything other than making or receiving a call and for navigational purposes. In all instances, the phone must be safely mounted to the vehicle and not handheld.
Further details on safe driving, road rules, and preparing for your ACT learner driver’s licence can be found in the ACT Road Rules Handbook.
ACT driver’s licences
When applying for an ACT driver’s licence, you’ll need to ensure you’ve satisfied the minimum age and driving experience requirements. The eligibility criteria will vary depending on the licence class you are applying for. These include:
- Motorcycle licence: A learner motorcycle licence is valid for 12 months, to obtain one you must be at least 16 years and 9 months old.
- Car licence: Anyone aged 15 years and 9 months or more can apply for a learner driver’s licence to drive a motor car. This licence is valid for 24 months.
- Light rigid vehicle licence (LR): If applying for an LR licence, you must be a minimum of 18 years of age and have held a licence to drive a class C vehicle for 12 months.
- Medium rigid vehicle licence (MR): You must be at least 18 years old and have held a licence to drive a class C vehicle for at least 12 months.
- Heavy rigid vehicle licence (HR): You must be a minimum of 19 years old and have held a licence to drive a class C vehicle for at least 12 months.
- Heavy combination vehicle licence (HC): To apply for an HC licence, you must be a minimum of 19 years old and have held a licence to drive a class MR or HR vehicle for at least 12 months.
- Multi-combination vehicle licence (MC): Those applying for this licence must be a minimum of 20 years of age and have held a licence to drive a class HC or HR vehicle for at least 12 months.
Tip from the author: Remember that when learning to drive on your respective vehicle type, you must have supervision from a fully licensed driver of the appropriate class. For instance, a learner driver would not be able to drive under the supervision of someone with a provisional licence.
When it comes to licence classifications, the ACT classifies these in the following ways.
- Learner licence: Anyone 15 years and 9 months of age may apply for a learner driver’s licence to drive a motor car or a learner motorcycle licence at 16 years and 9 months old. For motor vehicle learners, you must be accompanied by a person holding a full Australian licence of the same class when driving.
- Provisional licence: A provisional driver’s licence is issued after passing the practical test. It lasts for three years, and should you receive four or more demerit points, you will lose your licence.
- Full licence: After three years on the provisional licence, you will be eligible to obtain a full driver’s licence.
- Heavy vehicle licence: Once you’ve passed a knowledge test and a practical assessment test, you’ll be issued a heavy vehicle driver licence.
- Probationary licence: If returning to driving or riding after a court-imposed cancellation or disqualification, you will hold a probationary driver’s licence for 12 months before progressing to your previous licence.
Driving offences
Driving offences vary in severity and refer to those incidents that occur when a person drives a vehicle in a way that causes or is likely to cause serious injury and harm. Actions that can occur as a result include severe penalties in the form of demerit points, prison sentences, fines, and vehicle sanctions. In some instances, the driver will need to attend court.
The main driving offences that occur for drivers include:
- Negligent driving offences: when a driver causes death or serious injury due to irresponsible driving without speeding or being under the influence, e.g. texting on a mobile phone, which caused an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
- Reckless driving offences: when the driver is knowingly or carelessly driving in a way that endangers other road users and community members, creates a serious risk of physical injury to road users, or creates an obvious risk of substantial property damage.
- Furious driving offences: when a driver is knowingly or carelessly driving at a speed that seriously endangers others and creates a serious risk of causing physical injury.
- Failing to stop and assist after an accident: You must stop your vehicle and help those who are involved in the accident if you witness an accident causing physical injury or are involved in one. This might be assisting a pedestrian or cyclist you’ve hit or colliding with two or more vehicles. If you fail to stop and assist, you will be charged.
- Predatory and menacing driving offences: when a driver pursues or threatens another driver with the intent to cause physical injury.
- Police pursuit offences: when you knowingly drive a vehicle dangerously at high speed and fail to comply with police when asked to pull over.
Penalties for offences
Demerit points are issued as penalties for certain driving offences, although some offences, such as traffic and parking infringements, may instead attract a fine. Demerit points work on an accumulative process, with drivers starting at zero when they first get their licence. Your licence will determine how many demerit points can be accumulated before your licence is suspended.
Full ACT Driver licences have a maximum demerit point threshold of 12. Once you’ve accumulated this number of demerit points within a 3-year period, your licence will be suspended and you won’t be able to drive for the entirety of the suspension period.
Tip from the author: When you upgrade from a learner licence to a provisional licence, the demerit points reset to zero. However, this isn’t the case when upgrading from a provisional licence to a full licence or a full licence to a heavy vehicle licence. In these instances, the demerit points you’ve accumulated carry over.
With demerit points being issued as a penalty for a driving offence, the more severe the offence, the more demerit points will be issued. The following is a list of offences and the penalty that will be incurred as a result, and should be used as a guide only:
- Exceeding the speed limit by more than 45 km/h: 6 points
- Exceeding the speed limit by 30km/h but less than or equal to 45 km/h: 4 points
- Exceeding the speed limit by 15 km/h but less than or equal to 30 km/h: 3 points
- Exceeding the speed limit by less than or equal to 15 km/h: 1 point
- Disobeying a traffic signal: 3 points
- Disobeying a major regulatory traffic control sign or police directing traffic: 3 points
- Failing to give way: 3 points
- Failing to stop and/or give way at a pedestrian, school or level crossing: 3 points
- Driving with unrestrained passengers under legal age including children and infants: 3 points
- Driving contrary to a major defect notice: 3 points
- Driving on the wrong side of double lines or divided highway: 3 points
- Driving without a seatbelt: 3 points
- Motorcyclist not wearing a helmet: 3 points
- Careless or negligent driving: 3 points
- Driver using a mobile phone: 3 points
- Driver using a mobile phone for messaging, social networking, mobile application or accessing the internet: 4 points
- Improper overtaking and passing: 2 points
- Turning or stopping without signalling: 2 points
- Turning improperly: 2 points
- Failing to keep left: 2 points
- Driving contrary to a minor defect notice: 2 points
- Failing to dip headlights: 1 point
- Following too closely: 1 point
- Driving at night without headlights on: 1 point
- Driving on a P1 licence between 11 pm and 5 am with more than one peer-aged passenger: 3 points
How to report issues and incidents along the road
While the roads and streets of the ACT are generally well-maintained, there may come an instance where you find yourself driving along a street with potholes, broken streetlights, or an abandoned vehicle. These issues can significantly impact the safety of road and road users, so it’s important to report any issue or incident you may see along the road. This can be done by completing the ‘Fix My Street’ form, an online application that allows you to report various road issues.
What to do when you are involved in a crash
As mentioned, if you are involved in a crash, it’s important to stop and assist those involved to ensure everyone’s safety. Should there be any significant injuries, an ambulance should be called. You must then exchange details with the other driver or drivers involved, giving them your name and address, vehicle registration number, and name and address of the owner of the vehicle if it’s not your own. You must then report the crash.
If you need police attendance at a collision, be sure to contact ACT Policing on 131 444. You do not need to call them if there are no injuries and no vehicles need to be towed.
How to report a crash with another vehicle
If you’ve been in a crash with another vehicle in the ACT, you must report it. To do so, contact ACT Policing within 24 hours of the collision. This can be done online by completing the reporting form, or you can visit your local police station should you need further assistance. Be sure to report the date and time, location, weather, road and light conditions, traffic control, vehicle information, and information about the collision itself.
What to do if you hit an animal
Any accident involving an injured animal or wildlife needs to be reported to Access Canberra on 13 22 81, which operates 24 hours a day. Staff will be able to contact rangers to come and assess the welfare of the animal. Be sure to explain the exact location and the animal’s condition.
Safe driving tips in the ACT
- Always obey the speed limit and adjust your speed to suit the road conditions, weather, and traffic.
- Be sure to check blind spots and perform a head check when pulling out from the curb or changing lanes.
- Indicators should always be used when changing lanes, moving out from the curb, turning left or right, or diverging to the left or right.
- Never drive when you’re tired and be sure to take adequate rests on long journeys to break up the drive.
- Always keep a three-second safe distance between you and the vehicle in front to reduce the chances of collision.
- Be sure to come to a complete stop at ‘Stop’ signs.
- Always consider other drivers and be respectful of those you share the road with. This also extends to pedestrians, who you must look out for at all times.
Rent a car on Turo for your trip to Canberra
Now that you’re up to speed on ACT road rules, it’s time to get your trip on the road. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway to explore the many attractions Canberra has to offer or want to take on a sizeable cross-country journey as you tackle the length of Australia, you’ll have no shortage of things to explore along the way.
On Turo, you can secure a reliable vehicle from a local host at a length that suits your travel needs. Browse online, book in minutes, and enjoy free cancellation up to 24 hours before your booking.
Ready to hit the road? Why not tackle the Canberra to Melbourne drive or road trip from Canberra to Sydney?
Jess Campbell
Jess is Sydney-based and loves the outdoors. While she likes to think she has what it takes to compete on ‘ALONE’, her survival skills need some work. Born in Singapore and raised in South Africa, she’s hiked across Ireland, surfed in Hawaii, spent six months in Kenya and covered much of Africa. Having spent a year in the north of Spain, she’s resolved to come back to tackle the Camino de Santiago. Until then, you can find her providing the best snacks and playlists on Aussie road trips.
