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Mobile Ban – Strict New Laws for P Plate Drivers in NSW

Leading up to December 2016, P plate drivers should get ready to face harsher restrictions than ever before. A spike in fatal accidents, including 222 deaths in 2015 have...

Janelle Tarabay

Leading up to December 2016, P plate drivers should get ready to face harsher restrictions than ever before. A spike in fatal accidents, including 222 deaths in 2015 have urged the NSW Government to ban hands-free mobile phone use for all P2 licence holders.

Currently, if you hold a Learner or P1 licence, you are not allowed to use a mobile phone at all whilst driving, including using hands-free, loud speaker and using phone GPS. You will not be in breach of this rule if you are parked out of the line of traffic and use a mobile phone in any way.

Early this year, the government passed a law that means for Learner or P1 licence holders that are penalised for illegally using a mobile phone (four demerit points), they will exceed their demerit point threshold immediately and face a three-month licence suspension.

No More Mobile Use for P Licence Holders

Currently, P2 licence holders are allowed to operate a mobile phone hands-free. However after December 2016, all provisional license holders must not use any function of a mobile phone while driving or riding, or when stationary but not parked.

Even stricter rules will be implemented in November 2017, including an extension of 6 months each time a driver on their P2 license receives a suspension for unsafe driving behaviour.

The required tests for those on their Learner, P1 and P2 license are also likely to change, so keep informed on the updates here.

NSW Traffic offences are taken seriously so if you have had problem, check out our Traffic Law page or give one of our lawyers a call on (02) 9025 9888 for a FREE consultation.

Photo by D’Vaughn Bell