The NSW government is cracking down on the increasing incidents of overheight vehicles driving on Sydney bridges and tunnels
The NSW state government has recently announced that the punishment for overheight vehicle infringements is set to increase.
The penalties for overheight vehicles will go up due to an increasing number of incidents impacting Sydney traffic, with some trucks failing to comply with warning signs and in some cases crashing into bridges and tunnels.
Drive says the on-the-spot fine rates for these infringements have increased from $1888 to $4097, with the maximum fine able to be handed down now skyrocketing to $5500.
Alongside these penalties, drivers with overheight vehicles will also be eligible to lose their licence for six months and lose up to 12 demerit points compared to the previous maximum of six.
The NSW government says 45 overheight trucks were detected in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel in 2022 in numbers that almost doubled 2021’s.
“The vast majority of truck drivers do the right thing, but for those who refuse to obey multiple warning signs and drive overheight vehicles into our tunnels, the increased penalties should serve as a strong message that this has to stop,” NSW government executive director of regulatory operations Kelly Kwan says.
This change was seen recently when a truck carrying a load 5.11 metres high in the Airport Tunnel, which has a maximum height of 4.4 metres, was stopped, with the driver losing 12 demerit points and having to face court along with a $4097 fine.