Viewing the road is important. However, turning on fog lights when it is not really foggy can be dangerous – they can temporarily blind other road users, so it is not surprising that there are strict rules about you keeping your fog lights on at all times. Here is a summary.
- Do not use your fog lights unless you think you need them based on the conditions
- The rules vary depending on where you live
- The clue is in the name – use them when it’s foggy
A lot of these state laws are based on the model rules set out in the Australian Roads Law, published by the Parliamentary Advisory Committee – in other words, these are guidelines by which states set their standards. their own. Indeed, the ARR document states, “The Rules themselves do not have any legal effect.”
So it is up to local jurisdiction to decide what “hazardous weather conditions” are. They may vary from region to region, but the ARR’s definition of normal weather conditions is “non-hazardous weather conditions that impair visibility”.
NSW – Sydney
The NSW government road safety rules state: “You must only use fog lights in fog or rain or when other conditions limit your visibility, such as smoke or dust. When conditions improve and you can see better, you must turn off the fog lights. If your vehicle does not have fog lights, you can use low beam headlights and hazard lights in fog or rain.”
Use them incorrectly and you could be fined $110.
Victoria – Melbourne
The Victoria Road Code states: “Fog lights should only be used in hazardous weather conditions. Drivers should familiarize themselves with the warning symbols on the dashboard so they don’t come on accidentally.” Use your fog improperly and you could be fined $185.
Queensland – Brisbane
A slightly different wording from the QLD government: “You may only use your front or rear fog lights if it is difficult to see other vehicles or objects due to bad weather conditions—such as heavy rain or fog. You must not use fog lights in clear weather, day or night.” If you do the wrong thing, you could be charged with “Using your vehicle’s lights to dazzle other road users,” and that could cost you $57 and one demerit.
SA – Adelaide
The SA government explanation is very much from the ARR book. “Drivers of vehicles with front fog lights or rear fog lights must not turn on their fog lights unless the driver is driving in fog or other hazardous weather conditions that reduce visibility.” Use them improperly and you could be fined $270.
WA – Perth
Speaking of its jurisdiction, WA’s road law states “Fog lights may be used in conditions of fog, dust storms, or heavy rain”. Yes, dust storms are a fairly typical hazard common in the great west, so you should know that. The papers also say that “it is not an offense to drive with both headlights and fog lights on,” and that “driving a motor vehicle with both the headlights and fog lights on is an offense” because they do not be used in conjunction with any lamp that is “greater than 7 watts and capable of projecting white light to the front”.
Caught doing so, you will lose $100 and one point.
NT – Dac Uyen
“Front and rear fog lights are only used when there is fog or rain or when conditions such as smoke and dust limit your visibility. It is a legal requirement that once conditions improve and you can see better, the front and rear fog lights will be turned off,” the NT road user manual states.
ACT –Canberra
The ACT has a policy that applies to the use of fog lights – which is a good thing as Canberra is the capital of the most foggy state in the country. The Territory’s ruling is that for fog, “light emitted shall not cause discomfort by being reflected from any surface of the vehicle into the eyes of motorists” and motorists “of motor vehicles”. equipped with front or rear fog lights must not use them unless the driver is driving in fog or other hazardous weather conditions that reduce visibility”. Do it wrong, get caught and you will pay a fine of $100 and you will also be deducted one point.
tasmania – Hobart
Tasmania’s rules state that fog lights “must be aligned with the front of the vehicle so as not to cause glare or undue discomfort to oncoming drivers and other road users”, and that they are “only can emit white or yellow light”, “can be turned on and off independently of high beam and low beam”. The state’s Road Safety Advisory Council says “drivers are only allowed to use fog lights if driving in fog, fog or other atmospheric conditions that limit visibility.”
Use your front or rear fog lights at the wrong time and you will have to pay $130 if the police arrest you for it.
Not intended as legal advice. Check with the relevant road authority in your state or territory.
