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RAA’s Road Safety team has fielded a growing number of calls from members confused or concerned about false road rules online ‘news’ sites spreading misinformation.
Misinformation includes night-driving curfews for people over 60, new senior driver plates, and laws banning drivers from eating behind the wheel.
RAA’s Road Safety team are also receiving a high number of enquiries about mandatory use of headlights while driving.
RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain is urging South Australians to be cautious about believing or sharing supposed new road rules circulating online.
“We’ve had many members contact us about these rule changes that they’ve heard of, spreading online and by word of mouth,” Mr Mountain said.
“These stories sound convincing, but they’re not accurate – there are no imminent changes expected to South Australia’s road rules.
“Many of these fake posts use urgent wording like ‘new laws taking effect next week’ or show photos of police officers and politicians to look credible.
“One of the biggest giveaways is when these stories don’t include any quotes or statements from official sources such as the state government, SA Police or Department for Infrastructure and Transport press release or other reputable organisations such as RAA.
“Another red flag is when the page is cluttered with ads or pop-ups urging you to ‘click here’ – that’s usually a sign it’s not credible information.
“These false road rules are often aimed at older drivers, who can be more vulnerable to misinformation online.”
Mr Mountain said eating isn’t specifically illegal, but it’s important to remember that drivers can still be fined if they don’t have proper control of their vehicle.
“RAA also strongly encourages drivers to turn on their headlights when driving on regional roads in all conditions, even though this specifically is not a legal requirement,” Mr Mountain said.
“The organisation will always share genuine updates through trusted outlets like RAA Daily, samove magazine, and our social media pages – and if in doubt, our Road Rules team are able to assist.”
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