The Three Strikes scheme was introduced by the RTA to penalise heavy vehicles that are repeatedly caught exceeding the legal speed limit.
When a heavy vehicle is detected travelling at 15 km/h or more over the posted or relevant heavy vehicle speed limit by a mobile police unit or fixed speed camera, the RTA will record a strike against the vehicle.
If three strikes are recorded within a three-year period, the RTA will act to suspend the registration of the vehicle.
What does Three Strikes seek to achieve?
- Reduce the incidence of heavy vehicle speeding.
- Inform heavy vehicle operators that their vehicle has been detected travelling at excessive speeds.
- Encourage heavy vehicle operators to educate their drivers to comply with posted speed limits and/or the relevant speed limit for their vehicle.
- Improve road safety for all road users.
What vehicles does the Three Strikes scheme apply to?
The Three Strikes scheme applies to all vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of more than 4.5 tonnes.
What kind of speeding incident will count as a ‘strike’?
Any speeding offence 15 km/h or more over the posted or relevant heavy vehicle speed limit will be recorded as a strike.
What information about the speeding incident will be provided to the operator?
The RTA will notify the registered operator of the time, date and location that their vehicle was detected travelling 15 km/h or more over the posted or relevant heavy vehicle speed limit, and that a strike has been recorded against the registration of that vehicle.
How long are strikes retained against a vehicle?
All strikes are retained for a period of three years from the date of the offence. The RTA will remove a strike from the record of a heavy vehicle after a three year period.
What responsibility does the operator have?
Clause 41(2) of the Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Regulation 2007, places an obligation on heavy vehicle operators to use or manage their vehicles so as to effectively prevent repeated violations of traffic law.
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