NO LOCK COULD BE A SHOCK

A LITTLE-KNOWN road rule could result in Victorian motorists stung with a $476 fine.

Drivers can be fined just for forgetting to lock their car while they pop into a service station to pay for fuel.

According to a longstanding road rule, a driver’s failure to secure the windows or lock the doors of an unattended vehicle when they are more than 3m away could leave them with a fine of up to $476.

A window is deemed secure providing it is open by no more than 2cm.

If a driver leaves the keys in the ignition, and is more than 3m away from the vehicle and there is no one else sitting inside — that’s another maximum fine of $476.

Other little-known road rules that could see Victorians fined include the Aussie habit of flashing one’s lights to warn vehicles of a speed camera or police.

The maximum penalty for flashing high beams, which could dazzle other road users, is $317.

And don’t be tempted to blast your horn while sitting in traffic, as that could also land you in strife. The maximum penalty is $159.

Travelling in a motor vehicle with any part of a person’s body outside a window, unless the driver is giving a hand signal, is also an offence carrying a maximum penalty of $476.

But it’s not all bad news for motorists. A driver reversing a vehicle does not have to wear a seat belt. This is an Australian road rule and applies in Victoria.

Robyn Seymour, VicRoads acting executive director of access and operations, said road rules were designed to encourage safe driving and not unfairly punish drivers.

She said they were designed to be user friendly and easily understood while keeping all road users safe.