Saturday, Sep 26, 2020 at 11:57
'If you are moving more than 3 metres from a vehicle it must be locked with the engine off unless there is someone over 16 remaining with the vehicle'
I see nothing in the legislation to back that statement up. The quote below is a copy from the Australian Road Rules, 19 March 2018. That is the proforma that the states copy when formulating their own road rules. Point (3) only applies when the driver leaves the vehicle, not when he is approaching it. Also, the regulation only applies when the vehicle is on a road, the feature can thus be used when the vehicle is not on a road.
213 Making a motor vehicle secure
(1) This rule applies to the driver of a motor vehicle who stops and leaves the vehicle on a road, except so far as the driver is exempt from this rule under another law of this
jurisdiction.
Note: Motor vehicle is defined in the dictionary.
(2) Before leaving the vehicle, the driver must apply the
parking brake effectively or, if
weather conditions (for example, snow) would prevent the effective operation of the
parking brake, effectively restrain the motor vehicle’s movement in another way.
Offence provision.
(3) If the driver will be over 3 metres from the closest part of the vehicle, the driver must switch off the engine before leaving the vehicle.
Offence provision.
(4) If the driver will be over 3 metres from the closest part of the vehicle, and:
(a) there is no-one left in the vehicle; or
(b) there is only a child or children under 16 years old left in the vehicle;
the driver must remove the ignition key before leaving the vehicle.
Offence provision.
(5) If the driver will be over 3 metres from the closest part of the vehicle and there is no-one
left in the vehicle, the driver must:
(a) if the windows of the vehicle can be secured—secure the windows immediately
before leaving the vehicle; and
(b) if the doors of the vehicle can be locked—lock the doors immediately after leaving
the vehicle.
Offence provision.
AnswerID:
633540
Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Saturday, Sep 26, 2020 at 13:26
Saturday, Sep 26, 2020 at 13:26
I agree, Peter, it's all in sub para (1). "Roads" are defined, so if you're parked on a defined "road" the rule applies. But it would not apply, for example, in a shopping centre car park.
While I agree with your interpretation of sub para (3), I think it would be an interesting argument if push came to shove over a fine :-)
Cheers
FollowupID:
910596
Follow Up By: OzzieCruiser - Saturday, Sep 26, 2020 at 19:11
Saturday, Sep 26, 2020 at 19:11
I think it is just a NSW law - certainly not national.
FollowupID:
910613
Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Saturday, Sep 26, 2020 at 19:48
Saturday, Sep 26, 2020 at 19:48
Ozzie, I did not take that from the NSW road rules. It came from
The Australian Road Rules. From that page you will see:
"The Australian Road Rules are model laws that have no legal effect. They form the basis of road rules of each Australian state and territory. For the most part, each state and territory has copied the Rules into their own laws, however, not every provision of the Rules has been copied exactly in each state and territory. Also, there are a number of provisions in the Rules that specifically leave certain matters to state and territory governments to determine."
As you state "certainly not national" you seem to know what you are talking about. You thus should be able to inform us which states did not copy the piece I quoted into their own road rules. Most of the Australian Road Rules have been incorporated into the states road rules verbatim. Maybe you can
check and inform us if I am wrong about my quoted text.
FollowupID:
910615