Licensing, Penalties and Road Safety Responsibilities
The licensing pathway
Tasmania uses a graduated licensing system. Learners must hold a learner licence, display L plates, be supervised by a fully licensed driver, and record a set number of supervised driving hours before progressing. Provisional drivers display P plates and face restrictions, including a zero alcohol limit. Full licences follow after the provisional period. Keep your licence current and carry it when driving; report any change of address.
Penalties and demerit points
Traffic offences carry fines and demerit points. Accumulating too many points leads to suspension. Serious offences such as drink driving, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified carry heavy penalties, including licence loss and possible imprisonment. Speed cameras, red light cameras and mobile phone detection operate in Tasmania. Double demerit periods apply around holiday periods for certain offences.
Responsibilities
You must hold the appropriate licence for the vehicle, ensure it is registered and roadworthy, and have compulsory third party insurance. You must stop and exchange details after a crash, and report a crash to police when required. You must give way to emergency vehicles displaying lights and sirens.
Common traps
- Forgetting that provisional drivers have a zero alcohol limit.
- Assuming a fine is the only consequence; demerit points also apply.
- Believing you can leave the scene of a minor crash without exchanging details.
- Missing that emergency vehicles with lights and sirens have priority.
Worked example
A provisional driver is caught using a phone. The result is a fine plus demerit points, and accumulating points can lead to suspension.
Rule of thumb
Know your licence conditions, obey them strictly, and treat every offence as carrying both fines and points.