What happens if you dont have a rear view mirror?

Yes, the Australian Vehicle Standards Act requires you to drive with a rearview mirror at all times.

You could be the most confident and skilled driver in the world, but if you get behind the wheel without a rearview mirror, you're putting yourself and others at risk. Your rearview mirror is an essential part of your vehicle's safety offering, and the reason is every bit as obvious as you might expect - it allows you to see behind your car, either when reversing or when you're on the road.

Quite rightly, then, it's illegal to drive without a rearview mirror, according to the Australian Vehicle Standards.

In New South Wales, the demerit point guidelines point out that driving without a rearview mirror not only increases your risk of collision greatly, but will also earn you a $112 fine for driving a vehicle that doesn't comply with standards of roadworthiness.

According to the VicRoads fines and penalties website, driving without an uninterrupted view of the road will get you a fine of $238. And you'd also be at risk of getting stung for driving a vehicle that's unsafe or doesn't comply with standards of registration, for which the fine is $396.

According to the QLD government's demerit points schedule, driving, parking or permitting use of a vehicle that doesn't comply with Australian Vehicle Standards will set you back a $130 fine and earn you one demerit point.

The ACT government's extensive traffic infringement document is very clear on driving without a compliant rearview mirror; you'll cop a $193 fine. The Tasmanian traffic offences list is similarly clear - use or permit use of a vehicle that doesn't meet rearview mirror requirements, and you're at risk of a $159 fine. 

We couldn't find any specific legislation for South Australia or the Northern Territory, but since Australian vehicle standards require all cars to have a rearview mirror, it's safe to assume that driving without one could get you pulled over and penalised. There was also a lack of information from Western Australia's road authority but if you'd like to know more you can call the WA Demerit point hotline on 1300 720 111. 

And of course, if you have a collision while you're driving without a rearview mirror, your insurance coverage could be at risk. While you should always check your specific agreement for details, be aware that driving a non-compliant vehicle is not only illegal, but could also jeopardise your insurance. 

Finally, this article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here is suitable to your situation before driving in this manner.

Have you ever been faced with this situation? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Yes, Australian Vehicle Standards demand that you drive with a passenger side mirror at all times.

Having your passenger side mirror swiped or in some way damaged would have to be one of the most common risks of parking your car on the street. How many of us have made our way back to our car at some point, only to find that someone has done a dodgy and damaged the side mirror without leaving a note?

Since it’s not an uncommon occurrence and it can be such a pain to get fixed, it can be tempting to get on the road without both of your side mirrors in working order. But side mirrors are essential elements in the safe design of vehicles; without them, you can't see what's happening on either side of your car, and so having rearview and side mirrors is a legal requirement for every vehicle, according to the Australian Vehicle Standards.

According to the New South Wales Roads & Maritime Services demerits schedule, if you get on the road without a side mirror, you’re looking at a $112 fine for driving a vehicle that doesn’t comply with standards of roadworthiness.

In Victoria, as per VicRoads fines and penalties information, driving without a side mirror would put you at risk of getting pulled over for a similarly generic road rule; you can’t use a vehicle that’s unsafe or has been modified or doesn’t comply with standards of registration. But the penalties in Vic seem to be much higher, as the fine for this is $396.

According to the Queensland government’s demerit points schedule, you’re looking at a $130 fine and one demerit point if you drive, park or permit use of a vehicle that doesn’t comply with Australian vehicle standards.

The Australian Capital Territory government’s extensive traffic infringement document goes into more detail about all the different parts of a vehicle that can be non-compliant when it’s used - and the penalties associated with driving non-compliant vehicles. For driving without a passenger side mirror, you’re looking at a $193 fine in the ACT. The Tasmanian Transport’s traffic offences list also specifies that using or permitting use of a car that doesn’t meet the standards for driver viewing requirements will set you back a $198.75 fine. 

We couldn’t find any specific legislation for South Australia, Western Australia or the Northern Territory but since Australian Vehicle Standards require all cars to have passenger side mirrors in order to give drivers a safe view of their surroundings, it’s safe to assume that driving without a side mirror could get you into trouble. 

You should always consult your specific insurance agreement for insurance advice, but as a general guide, driving without a side mirror could definitely impact your insurance coverage. Any indication that you’ve been driving a car that isn’t considered safe or roadworthy could void your insurance agreement - regardless of whether those faults had a bearing on any accident you were involved in. 

This article is not intended as legal advice. You should check with your local road authority to verify the information written here.

Have you ever driven with your passenger side mirror missing? Let us know in the comments.

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