Did you know it's an offence to flash your lights to warn of police ahead?
I've never been able to find anyone who can identify any specific Road Rule in NSW that states you are not allowed to use your car lights to warn other road users that the police are ahead. However, you could receive an infringement if a police officer was to allege that while you were warning another driver, you are also likely to dazzle them.
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NSW Road Rule 219 states a driver must not use, or allow to be used, any light fitted to or in the driver’s vehicle to dazzle, or in a way that is likely to dazzle, another road user. This type of offence can attract 1 demerit point and a $108 fine.
Another more specific Road Rule in NSW is Road Rule 218 which states: The driver of a vehicle must not use the vehicle’s headlights on high-beam, or allow the vehicle’s headlights to be used on high-beam, if the driver is driving: (a) less than 200 metres behind a vehicle travelling in the same direction as the driver, or (b) less than 200 metres from an oncoming vehicle.
Both 218-1 (a) & (b) each attract 1 demerit point and a $108.00 fine. Once again, you could receive an infringement for breaching this rule while in the process of warning an approaching driver of a speed trap ahead, but there's nothing specific anywhere about drivers not permitted to warn of police ahead. I'd be keen to hear from the police or any legal practitioners out there.
Adam Marshall
And of course the "police revenue raising" joke had to come up. I am sure the police would love to be out there and not have to issue any fines because people were do the right thing. Yet they are out there because idiots put the lives of themselves and others at risk by driving at dangerous speeds and the only way to make these people learn their lesson is through their back pocket and loss of points (though this still does not get through some peoples thick heads)
No, when I see a radar or police presence I refuse to indicate this to other drivers. If they are doing the wrong thing and get caught then too bad. They deserve it.
Geoff Stone
