Whether you’re doing the weekend fruit and veg shop at the Fremantle Markets, heading to Cott – that’s Cottesloe Beach if you’re a Perth newbie – for a dip, or joining the nearly 125,000 people who commute into Perth CBD for work each day,1 there’s a good chance you’ll jump behind the wheel to make the journey. The fact is, Perth ranks as one of the world’s most car-dependent cities in the world, ahead of Brisbane, Melbourne and even Sydney.2
It may not surprise you then to learn that between 2020 and 2024, 114,162 car crashes were recorded on Perth’s roads.3 The main cause? Speeding.3
“We need (Perth) road users to dramatically change how they think about speed,” says Adrian Warner, Western Australia’s Road Safety Commissioner.4
“I often wonder why we can accept science in so much of our lives but struggle to accept the science of speed. In a simple contest between physics and physiology, physics always wins.”4
So, what is being done to combat speeding? What type of car insurance in Perth covers accidental damage if you’re involved in a crash? Are there any novel road rules in WA to be aware of when you’re navigating the city? And what kind of resources are available to help make driving in Perth safer? We’ve put this guide together to answer these questions.
Perth road rules every driver should know
While many road rules in Perth are consistent with road rules in other Australian cities, Western Australia’s capital also has a few important regulations to be aware of. Here are some key rules to keep in mind when you’re driving in Perth.
Slow down around emergency vehicles
Drivers in Perth must slow down to 40km/h when they’re approaching stationary emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights at a roadside incident.5 The Slow Down, Move Over (SLOMO) law also applies to tow trucks, roadside assistance patrol vehicles and Main Roads Incident Response Vehicles.5
Drivers who don’t reduce their speed to 40km/h could be fined $300 and have 3 demerit points added to their driver’s licence.5
Keep to the left
On multi-lane roads where the speed limit is 90km/h or more in Perth, drivers are legally required to drive in the left lane unless:6
- They’re turning right, making a U-turn or overtaking another vehicle
- They’re avoiding an obstruction
- The left lane has a special purpose, such as being a bus or bicycle lane
- The left lane is a turning lane and they’re going straight ahead
- The other lanes are congested with traffic.6
Failing to keep left on a multi-lane road could land you with a $50 fine and 2 demerit points.6
Follow the Northbridge Tunnel rules
In addition to usual road rules, such as obeying signs and keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, there are a few other things you must do as you’re making your way through this 1.6-kilometre tunnel, which can be used to bypass Perth CBD.7 These include:7
- Turning on your headlights
- Avoiding changing lanes unnecessarily
- Staying inside your car if you break down – the tunnel doesn’t have emergency lanes, so wait for instructions via your radio, the PA system or electronic signs.7
Stick to P-plate passenger limits
In WA, barring a few very limited exceptions, red P-plate drivers can only have one passenger.8
This rule came into effect as a result of Tom’s Law, which was passed in 2024. Tom Saffioti was killed in a car accident as a 15-year-old passenger in a vehicle driven by a red P-plater that was overloaded with young people.9
Red P-platers who break this law can be fined $200 and given 2 demerit points.9
Understand the parking rules
Like every Australian city’s streets, Perth’s streets feature signs that indicate where – and how – you can and can’t park your car,10 but there are a few other parking rules to bear in mind in Perth if you want to avoid a fine:11
- Cars parked on the street must face the same direction as the flow of traffic.
- You need permission to park on a verge or nature strip, from the person who occupies the adjacent property.
- Cars can’t be parked with “for sale” signs in public places.
- Parking a car for more than 24 hours in a public place – including streets, verges and car parks – is considered an obstruction.11
Don’t forget – cameras can detect driving offences
As of October 2025, speeding, seatbelt and mobile phone offences detected by Perth’s safety cameras now result in fines and demerit points.12
In the first month of operation, more than 31,000 infringements were issued across the state.13 Warner notes that the camera images captured revealed new insights into driver behaviour.13
“Every seatbelt not worn or worn incorrectly, every mobile phone picked up while behind the wheel and every kilometre over the limit is an unnecessary and avoidable risk,” he says.13
“The simple fact is, these risks cost lives. And a fine in the mail pales in comparison to the impact of a life lost.”13
Safety camera trailers currently operate in the Perth metropolitan area,14 and fixed cameras are located on the Kwinana Freeway at Gentilli Way in Salter Point and Mill Point Road in South Perth.15
Speeding fines vary, but driving without wearing a seatbelt in Perth can lead to a $550 fine and 4 demerit points,16 while illegal mobile phone use behind the wheel can lead to penalties of up to $1,000 and 4 demerits.17
Be aware of double-demerit periods
During holiday periods and long weekends in Perth, some traffic offences attract double demerits.18 These include:18
- Speeding
- Drink or drug driving
- Failing to wear a seatbelt
- Running a red light
- Using a mobile phone illegally while driving
- Driving a vehicle fitted with a device designed to evade speed camera detection
- Driving in a manner to evade speed camera detection.18
“Double demerits are not about catching people out, they’re about reminding people to do the right thing to prevent serious injuries and save lives,” says Warner.19
Helpful resources for driving in Perth
From getting your learner’s permit to checking road conditions, the Government of Western Australia provides tools and guides designed to help make driving in Perth simpler – and safer. Here are some you might find useful:
To get started as a learner driver
Whether you’ve just started thinking about getting your L plates or you’re already taking driving classes in Perth, a number of learner driver resources, including quizzes and practice tests, are available.
To check for road closures in Perth
Jump onto the Travel Map for up-to-date information about closures due to road incidents, or planned roadworks and relevant detours.
To brush up on WA road rules
From merging, to navigating uncontrolled intersections to what illegal mobile phone use behind the wheel actually means, test your knowledge with the quizzes available at Get Streetwise.
To report a car accident
In Perth, car accidents that result in injury or more than $3,000 worth of property damage must be reported to the police and the Insurance Commission of Western Australia using the online crash reporting facility.20
Car insurance in Perth
No matter how carefully you follow Perth’s road rules, as the statistics show, car accidents can still happen.
Add in the fact that research suggests hailstorms are likely to become more damaging in Perth due to climate change,21 and you might feel it’s more important than ever to make sure your car’s adequately covered by insurance.
While Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance is the only type of car insurance that’s mandatory in WA, this type of insurance doesn’t cover damage to your car if you’re involved in an accident or your vehicle is impacted by severe weather.22 For that, you’d need to consider buying additional car insurance cover.22
“At Youi, we offer three different types of car insurance in Perth,” says Marni Jackson, Youi’s Head of Product – Vehicle and Lifestyle.
“These include Comprehensive, Third Party Fire & Theft and Third Party Property Only car insurance.”
Here’s what each type of insurance does – and doesn’t – cover:
- Comprehensive car insurance. As the name suggests, this is our highest level of car insurance, covering accidental damage to your car and other people’s cars or property. It also covers your car if it’s intentionally damaged or stolen, or damaged by fire or severe weather – including hail – as well as a range of other events.23,24
- Third Party Fire & Theft car insurance. This covers damage that your car causes to other people’s cars or property, and it also covers your car for theft or fire damage. Accidental damage and hail damage aren’t covered.24
- Third Party Property Only car insurance. This covers damage that your car causes to other people’s cars or property. It doesn’t cover any type of damage to your car.24
“So, while our Third Party car insurance policies cover damage to other people’s cars or property, plus fire and theft if selected, Comprehensive insurance goes further. It also covers you for severe weather and accidental damage, even if the accident was your fault,” explains Jackson.24
Now that you know a little more about some key road rules in WA and, specifically, how they apply when you’re driving in Perth, we hope you may feel more confident behind the wheel. And when it comes to finding the right car insurance in Perth, Australia? Why not consider starting a quote online with us or by giving us a call on 13 9684 to see how our you-shaped policies can support your needs.
1 Source: Main Roads Western Australia – Towing in Perth
2 Source: Sydney Morning Herald – ‘Massive burden’: Perth ranked one of the world’s most car-dependent cities, May 2024
3 Source: WA Government – Perth Metropolitan road statistics, July 2025
4 Source: WA Government – Annual road fatality and serious injury report released, July 2025
5 Source: WA Government – Get up to speed on SLOMO, February 2025
6 Source: WA Government – Road rules explained, August 2025
7 Source: Main Roads Western Australia – Driving in Perth, October 2024
8 Source: WA Government – Driving on your P Plates, February 2026
9 Source: WA Government – Red plate. One mate | New rules for red P-platers, October 2025
10 Source: Visit Perth – Perth Parking
11 Source: City of Wanneroo – Parking information
12 Source: WA Government – Live now. Fines and demerit points apply for offences detected by new safety cameras, October 2025
13 Source: WA Government – More safety cameras to come as part of $80 million investment targeting dangerous driving, December 2025
14 Source: WA Government – Safety camera enforcement to start 8 October, September 2025
15 Source: WA Government – Safety cameras, October 2025
16 Source: WA Government – Seatbelts, February 2026
17 Source: WA Government – Driver distraction, August 2025
18 Source: WA Government – Double demerits, February 2026
19 Source: WA Government – Every seat. Every trip. Buckle up this long weekend, February 2026
20 Source: WA Government – Report a traffic crash, January 2026
21 Source: UNSW Sydney – Warmer with a chance of ice: hailstorms could hit Australian cities harder, July 2025
22 Source: Moneysmart – Choosing car insurance
23 Available with Comprehensive policies only. Exclusions and limits may apply. Where you have increased your cover or reduced your excess within 72 hours of a flood, storm, hail or bushfire occurring, cover will be limited to the amount that was effective prior to the change. Loss, damage or legal liability caused by, resulting or arising from flood, storm, hail or bushfire during the first 72 hours of your policy first being purchased is excluded unless certain conditions apply. For full details, see the PDS, TMD and your policy schedule.
24 Exclusions, limits and additional fees may apply. For full details, see the Car Insurance PDS.
