moneypenny20

If someone is learning to drive on a QLD learner licence and as part of building up their hours they drive in NSW are they bound by NSW learner driver rules or by QLD rules?

In NSW Learner drivers are not allowed to drive faster than 90kms and have to have the L Plates on the outside of the car. In QLD you can go at the posted speed limit and have the plates on the inside windows. Would the driver be breaking the law in NSW?

Can't find the info on either the QLD or NSW transport websites. We've had two people saying you have to follow the NSW rules and two saying if you're learning under a QLD licence then you follow their rules and I'm officially confused.

Anyone got any real info?????

ABCDiamond

You follow the rules of the State you are in. The same rules that the local Police will do you for, if you don't

moneypenny20

Ok, not a problem with the speed, she's been doing that 'just in case' but her plates are on hooks on the inside, she refuses to stick plates to the bodywork (understandably imo). Seems like a strange rule that one

Bit of a pain really, we do a lot of driving over the border and I guess she needs to know the NSW rules of the road as well as the QLD ones. One of the joys of living where we do I guess

Dreamy

The learners here have an attachment for their L and P plates`- it looks like a plastic grid which hangs off the side of the licence plate. I have no idea how it attaches, but the packaging says 'will not scratch paintwork'

P & L plate holder

canadaeh

Not necessarily. ACT learners are allowed to go at the posted speed limits in NSW, while NSW learners have the limit of 90km. NSW learners still have that limit when driving in the ACT. (edit: looking on line for this and different pages say different things, so not sure now, maybe they have changed it?)

Just like in ACT after 6 months on P’s you can get “P’s off” where you don’t have to display your P plates... and this is valid if you are driving in any other state.

ABCDiamond

That must make it very difficult for the local police, not knowing who to stop

It is an interesting topic, and there do seem to be differing views, especially with the ACT-NSW being so certain in that point.

An official view on this for QLD-NSW would be handy, but playing safe until something official is seen, would be my best advice.

moneypenny20

Seems daft that such info isn't immediately to hand, for the likes of us and ACT/NSW or NSW/Vic border towns, learners are likely to be regularly crossing state lines. Probably not so much of an issue in WA or NT and Tassie

ABCDiamond

I've been following this up, and it appears that many people are confused, even some Police

It is a licence condition, and not a law as such. Therefore it does appear that a QLD licence holder is allowed to drive according to the conditions of their licence.

If they do get booked by the police they can go to court and get any fine or conviction reversed, if the QLD licence allows them to be exempted from a NSW restriction.

I suppose, looking at it logically, a QLD learner would not be expected to know the NSW learner rules.

I would also expect that the Police near the State borders would be more aware of this than in other locations.

But does that also mean that an international driver, not knowing the local rules, should also be exempted from various things ?

ABCDiamond

Part of an email from the NSW RTA today:

Waiting on a reply from QLD now.

One thing is sure... confusion reigns.

ABCDiamond

I forgot to mention, the rules for Provisional licence holders are different.

moneypenny20

Thanks for this ABC, really grateful. Not heard the 80 before, thought it was 90 but then remembered it says 90 on some P plates. I don't want to even imagine the grief learners must get on the motorways if they're toodling along at 80 Hardly teaches the kids how to manage the motorway at the posted speed does it. So she shoots along the QLD bit of the motorway at 100/110 and then has to brake down to 80 when she crosses the border. Madness. Another case where the rules should be organised by Federal government and not State methinks.

At least they are allowed on the motorway here, never understood why the UK don't have some part of the training on motorways, may have changed the rules there now I guess

ABCDiamond

The reply from QLD Motor Transport was:

moneypenny20

At least that's what she's been doing but how people are supposed to know the rules of the road of every state and territory is beyond me. Thanks again.

Scubaemma

Same way any open licence holder needs to know the road rules for where they are driving I guess..... and people who come from overseas and drive here need to make sure they know what the rules are.

ABCDiamond

This one with the learners speed limit is a bit of an odd one though isn't it.
Very little chance of a QLD learner realising that in NSW they don't obey the signed speed limits, but a different limit that they have never been told about.