When visibility is reduced motorist should?

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Some of Queensland's other general road rules relate to:

Lights

You must have your headlights, tail-lights and number plate lights on when you drive at night or in bad weather that causes reduced visibility (such as heavy rain).

If you are driving during the day in fog or in other bad weather with reduced visibility, you may drive with your front fog lights on, with or without your headlights.

High beam headlights

You must not have your headlights on high beam if another vehicle is closer than 200m to you—this includes when you are following someone and when they are driving towards you.

You may flash your headlights briefly before overtaking another vehicle, but make sure they do not dazzle other road users. You may be fined for incorrectly using your high beam lights.

Fog lights

You can only use front or rear fog lights if it is difficult to see other vehicles or objects due to poor weather conditions—such as heavy rain or fog.

You must not use fog lights in clear weather conditions, whether it is day or night.

Level crossings

A level crossing is any location where a road and a railway meet at substantially the same level, regardless of whether it signed. It is also where a road and tram tracks meet at substantially the same level, however these crossings must be signed at the entrances.

A level crossing includes any adjacent area with painted cross hatched road markings.

Stopping and giving way at a level crossing

You must give way at a GIVE WAY sign or GIVE WAY line to any train on, approaching or entering the crossing.

Entering or leaving a level crossing

• warning lights are operating, or warning bells are ringing
• a gate, boom or barrier at the crossing is closed, or is opening or closing
• a train or tram is on, or entering the crossing
• an approaching train or tram can be seen, or is sounding a warning, and there would be a danger of a collision if the driver entered the crossing
• the driver cannot drive through the crossing because it, or the road beyond, is blocked.

Once you enter the level crossing, you must move off the crossing as soon as you can do so safely.

At a level crossing where boom gates or flashing lights are not installed, extra care should be taken.

• Slow down, or stop if facing a STOP sign, and look both ways and listen for trains.
• Take extra care if the sun, fog, vegetation or buildings obscure your view of the train tracks.
• If you have stopped for a train, before proceeding, check that another train is not following or coming the other way.

Riding in the back of a utility

It is an offence for a person to ride in the back of a utility (ute).

You must make sure your passengers do not travel in any part of the vehicle that is not designed for passengers. The passenger carrying area must be an enclosed part of the structure of the vehicle.

Passengers must be seated and restrained according to the seatbelt and child restraint rules.

Securing your vehicle

You must secure/lock your vehicle before leaving it parked on a road. Your vehicle is considered unattended when you are more than 3m away from it.

Before you leave the vehicle you must:

• switch off the engine
• apply the parking brake
• remove the ignition key if there is no one 16 years of age or older in the vehicle
• wind up the windows if possible—a gap of 5cm or less is acceptable
• lock the doors if possible.

This rule applies to all road-related areas, including car parks.

Crashes

If you are involved in a crash, you must stop and if you are able, give your contact details to:

• any other driver
• any other person injured in the crash or their representative
• the owner of any property or vehicle that has been damaged from the crash.

You must report a crash to the police if:

• a vehicle involved needs to be towed away
• any driver involved fails to provide their details to any other drivers involved in the crash
• any person involved is killed or injured.

Driving with animals

Travelling inside a vehicle

It is an offence to drive with an animal in your lap or to drive when you don't have proper control of your vehicle. We recommend  animals travelling inside your vehicle be restrained in some way for the safety and welfare of the animal and the occupants of the vehicle. The road rules do not specifically require an animal to be restrained while travelling inside a vehicle.

Travelling outside a vehicle

If an animal is carried in the tray of a ute or in a trailer it is classed as a load and must be safely restrained. Read more about transporting dogs in utes.

Read about the rules for horse riders, animal-drawn vehicles and leading your animal when walking.

Last updated: 7 August 2020

When driving between sunset and sunrise or in hazardous weather conditions, when rain, dust or fog cause reduced or poor visibility, your vehicle's headlights, rear lights and number plate light must be turned on. It is an offence to drive a vehicle displaying only parking lights during these times.

Visibility can be said to be poor any time when, owing to insufficient daylight or unfavourable conditions, people or vehicles on a road are not clearly visible at a distance of about 100 metres to a person of normal vision.

Pedestrians and bicycles are sometimes hard to see at night and in bad weather. Watch carefully for them.

When driving at night or in poor visibility

• Your driving speed at night should be adjusted to the range of your headlights. Drive so that you can stop well within the distance you can see to be clear ahead.
• Do not look directly at oncoming headlights. You may be dazzled. Look at the left hand side of the road and drive well to the left. If you are dazzled, slow down. If you cannot see, stop.
• You can momentarily flash your headlights on high beam to indicate to another driver that you intend to overtake.
• Keep your windscreen and lights clean.
• Always dip your lights within 200 metres both when an oncoming vehicle is approaching you and when you are approaching the rear of another vehicle. It is an offence to use your lights in such a way that you dazzle other road users.
• Front or rear fog lights can also be used in fog or other hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility - but you must switch them off when visibility improves.
• To reduce the effect of being dazzled by the headlights of on-coming vehicles at night, before starting your journey, thoroughly clean your windscreen inside and outside of insects and dust. Regularly clean your windscreen and lights throughout your journey (usually at refuelling or rest stops).

Hazard warning lights

You must not use your hazard warning lights unless your vehicle is stopped or going slowly and causing an obstruction, or is stopped in an emergency lane.

Hazard warning lights can be used by drivers:

• in hazardous weather conditions
• as part of an anti-theft device
• if you are stopping to sell a product (such as ice-creams)
• by the driver of a school bus when picking up or setting down passengers.

Warning device (horn)

You must sound your warning device only to warn others of danger. You must not use your warning device to create unnecessary or offensive noise. Musical warning devices are not permitted.

Parking at night or in poor visibility

If you leave your vehicle on the road at night or when visibility is poor, it must have front and rear parking lights alight unless it is made clearly visible from a distance of 200 metres by a lighted street light or other lamp.

If your vehicle is 2.2 metres wide or wider, you must always have the clearance and side marker lights alight at night or in poor visibility.

Rear vision mirrors

Your vehicle must have a mirror or mirrors fitted so that you can have a clear view of any vehicle approaching from behind. If, for any reason, your view from an internally-fitted mirror is obscured, external mirrors must be fitted that provide a clear view.

Panel vans and utilities must be fitted with two external rear vision mirrors. At least one mirror must be fitted to each side of any vehicle when towing a trailer that is wider than the towing vehicle. Motorcycles built after (June 1975) must also have a rear vision mirror on each side.

Check list

Your vehicle needs to be fitted with:

• lights - headlights, tail lights, number plate light, parking lights
• horn
• mirrors - an internal rear view mirror, and if this does not offer a clear view, side mounted rear view mirrors.

This equipment must be kept functional and clean.