Road rules and safety
Join in the fun - Our Road Safety Centre has developed some special road safety activities for children and parents to do at home. If you would like to join in and learn more about road safety then keep an eye out for SAPOL Road Safety on Instagram, SAPOL on Facebook or our web page for all the details.
Activities will be released over a 10-week period and cover topics such as crossing the road safely, passenger safety, walking safely and safe places to play, bike safety, and Triple Zero emergency calls.
Road rules are there to ensure the safety of all road users.
Breaking basic road rules contributes to thousands of avoidable crashes resulting in injuries and fatalities every year.
In South Australia the road rules are covered by the:
- Road Traffic Act 1961
- Regulations made under the Act
- Australian Road Rules
- Motor Vehicles Act 1959.
Immediate Loss of Licence - update
On Monday 13 February 2023, changes to the Road Traffic Act 1961 as a consequence of the Road Traffic (Drug Driving and Careless or Dangerous Driving) Amendment Act 2021 took effect.
SA Police now have the authority to issue an Immediate Loss of Licence (ILOL) notice to drivers who test positive for prescribed drugs, and who drive dangerously and recklessly by removing them from the road immediately.
This is a significant change from the current process where offending drivers are issued with an expiation notice or summons to attend court which may then result in a loss of licence but allows them to continue driving in the meantime.
How well do you know the Road Rules?
Find out how well you know the road rules:
Road safety tips
The five main causes of road trauma on South Australian roads are:
- drink and drug driving
- speeding
- distraction
- seatbelts
- dangerous road users.
Learn more about the Fatal Five and Road safety resources
Road safety education programs
South Australia Police (SAPOL) offers traffic education programs and road safety presentations to schools, businesses and community groups.
Find out more about SAPOL's road safety education program.
Related information
- SAPOL's Traffic news page
- Road safety resources from SAPOL
- Road safety news - from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport's Towards Zero Together site