Is it illegal to honk in Australia?
Australian motorists could face hefty fines for simply honking their horns in a friendly manner.
Drivers across the country who use their horns for any purpose other than warning others face fines ranging from $50 to $3,700, including a hello or goodbye honk.
Legally, a vehicle’s horn may only be used to warn other drivers of your location, to warn animals to get off the road, or to serve as part of an anti-theft or alcohol interlock device.
Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh explained that it is illegal to honk your horn unless it is to warn motorists of impending dangers on the road.
“Regardless of what state you are driving in, a vehicle’s horn should only be used to warn other drivers or alert animals to the approach or position of their vehicle,” he said Yahoo News.
“The only exception to this is if the horn is being used as part of an anti-theft device or an alcohol interlock. Drivers caught using their horn in situations that do not fall under this can potentially face jail time and fines of more than $3,000, depending on the state they live in.”
Here are the specific rules for your state:
New South Wales: “Using a horn or warning device unnecessarily” could result in a $344 fine.
It is against the law to use a horn for any purpose other than warning others (Photo: Stock photo of a woman honking her horn)
Victoria: In Victoria, offenders can be fined one penalty unit, which is currently $192.31, under regulation 224 of Victoria’s Road Safety Regulations 2017.
Queensland: Maximum fine of 20 penalty units, which is currently $3,226.
Western Australia: Motorists will be given an ‘adjusted fine’ of 1 fine unit, which is equivalent to a $50 fine.
South Australia: ‘Improperly using a horn or similar warning device’ can result in a $215 fine and a $99 fine for crime victims.
Northern Territory: Maximum penalty of 20 penalty units $3,700, or imprisonment for 6 months.
Tasmania: “Using or permitting the use of a horn unnecessarily” will cost a driver $146.25
Australian Capital Territory: Fine of $264, plus a possible additional 20 fine units worth $160 each.
