Queensland
Schedule of Helmet Offences and Penalties

The historical penalty values have not been researched

Since 1985 Queensland has used a system of penalty units to determine the dollar value of a penalty. 1 PU equals 1 point. The value of a PU is now set under the Penalties and Sentences Act 1992. In 2013 the act was amended to allow the Treasurer to publish annual increases in the value of a PU. This has seen a rapid increase in the cost of fines.


1992 to 2016
 

There are
3 offences.

Rule 270 (1) (a)

Rule 270 (1) (b)

Rule 270 (2)

Failing to wear a helmet when driving a motorcycle

Driver of a motorcycle failing to ensure a passenger wears a helmet

Passenger on a motorcycle failing to wear a helmet

All 3 offences are the same $ value but only 270(1)(a) and 270(1)(b) are demerit point offences.

 
 
Year
$
Points
1960-69
 
 
1970-79
 
 
1985-87
$150
2
1988-91
$180
3
1992-99
$180
3
2000-08
$210
3
2009-11
$300
3
2012-13
$330
3
2014-15
$341
3
2016
 
 
2017
 
 
2018
 
 

Offence descriptions and meanings have become distorted over time. Originally the descriptions and details were included in the road rules or traffic acts and so the meanings were clear.

The volume of offences and the number of officials who needed access to the information increased and so the penalties and descriptions were moved to separate legislation and the practice of using "short descriptions" in the penalty legislation began.

This now means the infringement notices as issued may mean other than what they state. The offence and penalty legislation have clauses which state in effect that the short description means the same as the long description contained in the regulations.


Notes

Motorcycle helmet offences are not a category in the Australian Bureau of Statistics system unlike bicycle helmets.

Queensland like many States fail to recognise separate proscribed offences with differing levels of penalty are needed or that visor offences should be a minor defect notice rather than a fine as per car windscreen tinting.

Use of the defect system means the ACCC can be alerted to retailers selling visors not complying to the standards.

1/ Failing to wear any helmet
2/ Helmet not of an approved standard
3/ Helmet modified/damaged