New Victorian road rules 2023

New road rules are being introduced regulating the use of a range of portable, wearable and inbuilt devices while driving a vehicle or riding a motorbike. The rules expand and clarify a number of rules already in place for mobile phones, and take effect on 31 March 2023.

The rules reflect the significant increase of in-vehicle technologies and other technologies capable of distracting a driver and are designed to help keep people safe on our roads.

The rules are expanded from mobile phones and visual display units to cover:

  • Portable devices (unmounted mobile phones, tablets);
  • Wearable devices (smartwatches, wearable heads-up display);
  • Inbuilt devices (Information, navigation, and entertainment systems, heads-up display that is an inbuilt part of the vehicle);
  • Mounted devices (Heads-up display, tablet, mobile phone, media player etc if securely mounted in or on a vehicle); and
  • Motor bike helmet devices.

Rules for L and P platers are different to those for fully licensed drivers – see below.

Drivers with full licences

The details for specific devices are linked below, but in general you cannot touch an unmounted portable device, such as a phone, tablet, laptop or any other portable device while driving.

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    Learner, P1 and P2 drivers

    The updated rules acknowledge the widespread use of technology in everyday life, and the need to safety use technology in some situations.

     

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    Riders and operators of bicycles, electric scooters, recreational vehicles and electric personal transporters

    The new rules also apply to riders and operators of operators of bicycles, electric scooters, recreational vehicles and electric personal transporters. 

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      Penalties

      Penalties apply to offences related to new device distraction road rules and camera detection of portable device distraction and seatbelt wearing offences.

      The penalties for illegal use of mobile phones (or other device types) remain the same.


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      Professional driving tasks


      If you drive for work and need to interact with a device to do certain tasks then these professional driving tasks will be permitted under the rules.

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      Frequently asked questions

      There are a suite of frequently asked questions to help you understand the new road rules.

      Download new Victorian road rules 2023 FAQs (PDF, 355KB)

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