New road laws come into effect 2025, which will impact every road user in the country and every state and territory in Australia. Federal and state authorities have come together to make the road laws more uniform. While compliance with the laws will be simpler, enforcement will be far stricter. The intent is to enhance road safety and clarify the expectations and responsibilities for drivers to minimize the risk and incidence of vehicles accidents.
New Mobile Phone Laws and Penalties
New and more rigorous anti-distraction mobile phone laws will come into effect 2025, which will undoubtedly be the most controversial. The new laws make it unequivocally the most controversial. The new laws make it unequivocally clear that driving and any sort of interaction with a mobile phone is illegal, including changing the car music, or entering destination information in a gps, unless the phone is in a hands-free car cradle. Penalties for violations will be escalating and include on the spot fines and demerit points. This uniform policy across all states and territories aims to clear any and all ambiguities and confusion for drivers crossing state borders.
Pets in Cars National Rules
For the first time, all jurisdictions will uniformly prohibit drivers from having animals on their laps or unsecured within a vehicle’s cabin. This arises from studies that indicated having animals in a car distracts drivers, thus increasing risk of accidents. All pets must be safely restrained, with drivers ignoring these rules facing significant fines. There is also an educational campaign aimed at assisting pet owners.
Revised Speed Limits in High Risk Areas
A primary aspect of the changes involves reviewing and lowering speed limits in high risk urban and school zones. These targeted reductions will be in relation to problem intersections and school zones where collisions occur, and will be supported by increased speed enforcement and surveillance. It is hoped that this will reduce injuries to pedestrians and cyclists, particularly school aged children.
Harmonized Alcohol and Drug Driving Offence Penalties
Another major change set for 2025 will be the regional alignment of penalties for alcohol and drug driving. Being over the limit will attract the same penalties, irrespective of the offence location in Australia. These changes will also apply to driving with prescription medications, where the driver must check and comply with the label instructions.
Digital Drivers Licences Rollout
Digital drivers licences issued by all states and territories will soon become accessible on official apps. This will allow motorists to display their credentials without needing to carry a physical card. Routine checks will be streamlined and drivers’ licences status will be verifiable on the spot by authorities at traffic stops. Law enforcement will use advanced technology for seamless and secure instant checks.
What to Know and Do Now
Drivers should be most informed on their changes and attend local info sessions as most changes take effect mid 2025. State and territory road authorities will have these details. While broad government media campaigns will support these changes by informing the public, it will be the motorists’ responsibility to inform and adapt to these changes to avoid losing their licence, or incurring fines.
| Change | Brief Details |
|---|---|
| Mobile phone bans | Stricter, no physical interaction |
| In-car pets | Must be secured, no laps |
| Speed limits | Lowered in risk areas |
| Uniform DUI penalties | Same rules nationwide |
| Digital licences | State-wide rollout |
FAQs
Q: When will the changes to road laws take effect in 2025?
A: Most changes will take effect on July 1, 2025. However, there will be other state-specific changes that will be made before that date.
Q: What happens when a driver is caught with an unsecured animal in a vehicle?
A: The driver will receive a likely on the spot fine and traffic demerits points and animal welfare will further investigate the charge.
Q: Will physical licences still be accepted?
A: Of course. While digital drivers licences will expedite the process, physical licences will always be acceptable.
