Road rules

For free and confidential legal advice about this topic, please contact us here.

This page contains answers to the most common questions young people ask us about road rules.  It is not a full list of road rules! 

Do I have to wear a seatbelt in a car?

Yes. All car drivers and passengers in the Northern Territory must wear seat belts.

If you are driving and don’t wear a seat belt, you could be fined $500 and lose up to 3 demerit points.

If you are driving someone under 18 and they are not wearing a seat belt, you could be fined $500 and lose up to 3 demerit points. If you are over 16 and don’t wear a seat belt when riding in a car, you can also be fined $500.

Bicycles

Do I have to wear a helmet on a bicycle?

Yes. All cyclists and passengers under 17 in the Northern Territory must wear approved bicycle helmets.  If you’re over 17, you have to wear a helmet unless you’re not riding on the road. You are allowed to ride your bicycle on a footpath, unless “No Bicycles” signs are displayed.

If you are caught riding a bicycle without a helmet you could be fined $25. You can also be fined $25 if your helmet is not properly fastened or your passenger is not wearing a helmet.

Motorbikes and scooters

Do I have to wear a helmet?

Yes. In the Northern Territory both riders and passengers on motorbikes and scooters have to wear approved motorbike helmets.  The only exception is if you are under 18 and you have a written exemption from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to ride in a side-car without wearing a helmet.

Skateboards, rollerblades and rollerskates

Do I have to wear a helmet?

No, you don’t have to wear a helmet but it’s still a good idea.

There are also some other laws about riding skateboards, rollerblades and roller skates:

• You must keep to the left of a footpath or shared path.
• You must give way to pedestrians.
• You can only skate on a road during the day on a road without white lines and where the speed limit is less than 50km per hour.
• If the local council has put up a sign prohibiting skating in certain areas you must obey these signs.

Mobile phones

If you are on your L or P licence it is illegal to use your mobile at all while you are driving, even if it is hands-free. You could be fined $250 and lose up to 3 demerit points.

If you are on your full licence you can use your mobile phone only if the phone is being used to make or receive a phone call and it is secured to a mounting fixture in the vehicle. If you use it in any other way, you could be fined $250 and lose up to 3 demerit points.

Number plates

When you’re driving a car or motorbike, your number plates must always be visible. If they’re not, you could be fined up to $40.

Is speeding legal?

Speeding is always against the law. If you’re caught speeding, you could lose your licence on the spot, depending on how fast you were going.  

If you’re on your P or L licence, there are special speeding laws that apply to you. Please check out our Licences page for more information.

More information about road rules

For more information about road rules in the Northern Territory see the Road Users Handbook, or contact your nearest Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) Customer Service Centre.

If you’re under 25 and you have a question about road rules that we haven’t answered here, please ask us a question here and we can give you some free information and advice.