A correspondent from WA wants to know:
… are drivers of emergency vehicles required to display P-plates if they would otherwise be required to do so? I see that you’ve previously addressed this question in regards to the rules in New South Wales and Victoria, however I don’t believe you’ve specifically addressed the regulations in Western Australia.
You’ve noted before that there are significant differences between the, supposedly harmonised, road rules between different states, and so I’m wary to extrapolate from what you’ve written about NSW and Vic. I also tried to work out the answer myself, but was disappointed at how hard it was to access and interpret the laws and regulations (and the right versions of these) online.
Specifically I’m interested in vehicles operated by St John Ambulance WA (some of which do not have red/blue lights but which I’m told are still considered ’emergency vehicles’), but it would be interesting to know if there are differences which apply to fire fighting appliances and SES vehicles. In addition, does the answer depend on the activities being undertaken in the vehicle (e.g. refuelling vs responding to patient, responding under lights/sirens vs responding without lights/sirens).
Indeed I have discussed that issue for NSW and Victoria – see
- Probationary Licence Holders and driving emergency vehicles in Victoria (July 18, 2014); and
- Displaying Green P plates and response driving in the NSW RFS (May 31, 2015).
So now to WA. The ‘harmonised road rules’ relate the rules about driving. The Australian Road Rules are incorporated in WA law by the Road Traffic Code 2000 (WA). These rules, however, do not include the rules about ‘P plates’ (equally the Road Rules 2014 (NSW) and the Road Safety Road Rules 2009 (Vic) do not contain relevant rules regarding a driver’s licence). In WA, the relevant rules are found in the Road Traffic (Authorisation to Drive) Regulations 2014 (WA). Regulation 36 says:
- The holder of a provisional licence who drives a motor vehicle on a road must display on the vehicle 2 plates conforming with subregulations (3) and (4), one of which is readily visible from the front of the vehicle and the other of which is readily visible from the rear of the vehicle.
- Subregulation (1) does not apply if the licence holder is a police officer driving in the course of duty.
Regulations (3) and (4) deal with the colour and size of P Plates.
There is no other exemption in WA. So in WA the holder of a provisional licence is required to display their ‘P’ plates whether they are driving their private car or a vehicle operated by St John Ambulance or QFES. It is only an ‘on duty’ police officer who is exempt from the requirement to display ‘P plates’.
Australian Emergency Law 
Having been with St John in the past for many many years, i can help with this one. Within St John, NO person shall drive any St John vehicle with and encumbrance on their license. This includes P plates,temporary restrictions imposed by police, E plates etc etc. A Full unrestricted licence with a minimum of 6 demerit points is required.
In the case of emergency calls, the driver is also required to complete special driver training and MUST be added to a master list within St John. To be added to the list, the station or section manager must make the written recommendation.
There would not be a need to wear P plates as drivers must have a full licence anyway. It is tied in with St John insurance policy. Whilst this is not a state law, it is a clear regulation set forth by the owners of those vehicles. I suggest the writer of the letter contact St John head office in belmont.
Thanks for that – of course my correspondent doesn’t need to contact St John. It’s not clear that he or she is a member rather than an interested by stander and St John may give the advice that ‘There would not be a need to wear P plates as drivers must have a full licence anyway’. Further whilst my correspondent may have been ‘specifically’ interested in St John they also wanted to know about SES and fire fighting appliances and whether the actual task made a difference. Not answers that St John would provide.
My correspondent wanted to know, and I’m happy to refer to, the actual letter of the law – which as I noted, says that if a person has a provisional licence they are required to display their P plates if they are driving.
In WA can a person provide a “priority one transfer” service in a vehicle which is presented as an ambulance (independent operator / not registered with St John’s) where the driver of vehicle was aged 17 & P plates were not displayed on vehicle, but lights & sirens were in operation. If there is a consumer complaint regarding the legitimacy of this action where would it be directed?
Presumably you would direct that to either the police or the Department of Transport.