A 49-year-old New South Wales man has been disqualified from driving for three months after Tasmania Police allegedly detected him travelling at 150km/h in a 110km/h zone at Brighton, north of Hobart, in a Ferrari. He was also issued a $905.25 fine and six demerit points.
Police say the alleged offence occurred on Wednesday, 4 November, during a statewide road safety operation. Officers were responding to community concerns about dangerous driving by some participants in a high-performance vehicle tour, and to a social media post that appeared to show reckless driving on a Tasmanian highway. Tasmania Police did not name the driver, and motoring reports have identified the car only as a Ferrari, with some coverage describing it as a 2018 488 GTB.
The 40km/h excess sits in Tasmania’s 38km/h to 44km/h speeding bracket. Official state penalty tables set that range at a $905.25 fine, six demerit points and an automatic three-month licence disqualification. The next bracket, for 45km/h or more over the limit, rises to a $1,224.75 fine, six demerit points and a four-month disqualification. Lower excesses attract smaller fines and no automatic disqualification, which is why the 38km/h threshold matters in this case.
Excess over the limit | Fine | Demerit points | Licence disqualification |
|---|---|---|---|
Less than 10km/h | $106.50 | 2 | None |
10–14km/h | $159.75 | 2 | None |
15–22km/h | $213.00 | 3 | None |
23–29km/h | $372.75 | 3 | None |
30–37km/h | $639.00 | 5 | None |
38–44km/h | $905.25 | 6 | 3 months |
45km/h or more | $1,224.75 | 6 | 4 months |
Police also issued infringement notices the following day to a 61-year-old Queensland man allegedly detected at 129km/h in a 100km/h zone at Hamilton, in a Porsche. Officers seized a radar detector fitted to that car and found it was missing a registration plate. Radar and laser detectors are illegal in Tasmania and in most other Australian jurisdictions. That driver was issued infringements totalling $1,810.50 and three demerit points.
Sergeant Scott McKinnell said police would keep targeting dangerous driving, with other large motoring events due in Tasmania in the coming weeks. Targa Tasmania, the state’s best-known tarmac rally, is scheduled to begin on 18 November. “We will continue to target dangerous driving behaviours to ensure motorists comply with the law and prioritise safety,” he said. “If you’re on the roads, follow the rules and avoid distractions behind the wheel.”
Brighton sits on the Midland Highway, the main sealed route between Hobart and Launceston. Police described the alleged Ferrari offence as taking place in a 110km/h zone at Brighton, which is consistent with signed 110km/h sections on that highway; Tasmania’s general rural default is 100km/h unless a higher limit is posted. Drivers visiting from other states remain subject to Tasmanian speeding penalties, including licence disqualification, while they are on Tasmanian roads.
Anyone who sees dangerous driving in Tasmania is asked to report it on 131 444 when it is safe to do so, or to call triple zero in an emergency. Dashcam or video footage can also be submitted through Tasmania Police’s dangerous driving portal, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers Tasmania.