In a hurry and tempted to park your car in the opposite direction to the flow of traffic? Not so fast – here are the rules in each state of Australia.
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way, or against the direction of traffic, in Australia?
Most of us have wondered this at some point in our driving lives. Sometimes, life gets busy and it feels as though you simply don’t have the time to manoeuvre into a parking space – particularly if you don’t plan to stay there long.
However, if you’ve ever been tempted to park facing the wrong way to save time – consider this your official warning: it’s illegal.
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Each state in Australia has specific rules and penalties for parking in contravention of signage, or parking against the direction of traffic.
However, the consensus is that you must always park your car in the same direction as the traffic is travelling on that side of the road, and you must obey parking signs when it comes to the direction and angle stipulated.
The only exception is 90-degree angle parking, where motorists are allowed to park in whichever direction they choose.
To find out the road rules in your state or territory, keep reading.
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in New South Wales?
No, in New South Wales it is illegal to park in a direction that goes against the flow of traffic.
In New South Wales, Road Rule 208 states that a driver “must position the vehicle to face in the direction of travel of vehicles in the marked lane or line of traffic on, or next to, the part of the road where the driver parks”.
If the road is empty, the driver must still park in the direction in which other vehicles could lawfully travel on that part of the road.
Failure to do so could result in a $283 fine, or $362 and two demerit points if the offence occurs in a school zone.
The reason for this is that when a driver parks in the wrong direction, it requires them to travel on the wrong side of the road to exit the space, exposing other motorists to the risk of a head-on collision.
Additionally, when parking in a space that specifies the correct angle based on a road marking or parking sign, they must obey these instructions.
For example, parking nose-to-kerb in a parking space that specifies rear-to-kerb parking is illegal and could incur a $120 fine in NSW.
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in Victoria?
No, it’s illegal to park against the flow of traffic in Victoria, or in contravention of specific signage – unless you’re parking in a 90-degree space.
“Victorian road rules prescribe that if parking at 90 degrees, you are permitted to position your vehicle either ‘rear in’ (front of the car nearest the centre of the road) or ‘front in’ (rear of the car nearest the centre of the road), unless a direction is specified on the parking sign,” a spokesperson for Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning told Drive.
“If you park at an angle other than 90 degrees (e.g. 45 degrees), you must position your car so it is facing the same direction as the closest lane of traffic.”
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in Queensland?
No, it is illegal to park facing the wrong way in Queensland.
“It is illegal to park facing against the flow of traffic on a road or in contravention to a parking sign with a direction to park in a certain direction (for example, to park rear in or on a certain angle),” a spokesperson for Queensland’s Transport and Main Roads department told Drive.
“This ensures vehicles are parked in a predictable manner and support safer outcomes when pulling out from the parked area.”
Any associated penalties are determined by either Queensland Police or the relevant local council.
“Whether an offence has occurred and enforcement action is undertaken will depend on the specific circumstances and at the enforcement officer’s discretion. Parking fines can be set by local councils and so can vary across Queensland,” the spokesperson added.
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in South Australia?
No, it’s illegal to park facing the wrong direction in South Australia, according to the state government’s Driver’s Handbook.
This rule book instructs drivers who are parallel parking to “park your vehicle so that it is facing in the same direction as the moving traffic”.
When it comes to parking on an angle, the rules depend on the kind of parking space and whether there are signs specifying such.
“Angle parking is indicated by signs or road markings. It means you must park your vehicle at the appropriate angle to the kerb, as indicated by the sign or markings on the road and you must park entirely within a parking bay,” the handbooks states.
“If a sign states angle parking is allowed at an angle other than 90 degrees, the driver must park with the front of the vehicle to the kerb unless a sign indicates otherwise.
“If a sign states ‘angle parking’ but does not give the exact angle, you must park at 45° with the front of the vehicle to the kerb unless a sign indicates otherwise.
“If a sign or markings indicate 90-degree parking, you may park with your front or rear to the kerb unless a sign indicates otherwise.”
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in Western Australia?
No, it’s illegal to park facing the wrong way in Western Australia.
Much like in other states, vehicles parallel parking on the side of the road must face the direction of the traffic flow on that side of the street.
Additionally, when parking at an angle other than 90 degrees, WA drivers must obey road signs and park in the direction stipulated (i.e. nose-to-kerb).
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in the Australian Capital Territory?
No, “in the ACT, it is illegal to park a vehicle on the wrong side of the road and not in the direction of traffic,” an ACT Policing spokesperson told Drive.
Like other states and territories, motorists must also obey the directions stipulated on nearby signs when parking at an angle (i.e. nose-to-kerb) or risk facing a penalty.
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in Tasmania?
No, it is illegal to park facing the wrong way in Tasmania.
Under road rule 208, failure to parallel park facing the direction of travel could incur a $87 fine in Tasmania.
Under road rule 210, Tasmanian motorists could also face a $87 fine for “incorrect angle parking”.
Is it legal to park facing the wrong way in the Northern Territory?
No, it is illegal to park facing the wrong way in the Northern Territory.
“To park on the incorrect side of the road facing oncoming traffic, you would have had to drive on the wrong side of the road,” a Northern Territory Policing spokesperson told Drive.
Much like other states and territories, motorists must also park in the direction stipulated on parking signs when parking at an angle.
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