- The Crisafulli Government has delivered stronger laws targeting high-risk, dangerous driving to save lives on Queensland roads.
- The new laws introduce a modernised offence framework with increased jail terms and licence disqualifications for serious and repeat offenders.
- The reforms include tougher penalties for drink and drug driving and introduce minimum fines and new enforcement powers.
- The Crisafulli Government is strengthening laws to make Queensland safer after Labor failed victims during its decade of decline.
The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer after passing two significant pieces of legislation through the Queensland Parliament to overhaul Queensland’s dangerous driving laws and save lives on our roads.
The Criminal Code (Dangerous Driving) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 strengthens penalties and restores accountability to put the rights of victims ahead of the rights of offenders.
After Labor’s decade of decline, the Crisafulli Government’s new laws replace Queensland’s existing dangerous driving offences with a stronger, clearer and modernised framework, which includes four categories of offending covering motor vehicles and alternative modes of transport.
It’s just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is restoring safety where you live and getting Queenslanders home sooner and safer.
The legislation also delivers a range of targeted reforms, including:
- Higher maximum penalties for dangerous driving, particularly for motor vehicle offences, including up to 5- or 7- years imprisonment where no death or grievous bodily harm is caused, and up to 16- or 25-years imprisonment where death or grievous bodily harm occurs.
- Increased minimum licence disqualification periods, with tougher consequences for offences involving death or grievous bodily harm, aggravated offending, and repeat offenders.
- Expanded mandatory imprisonment requirements for serious and repeat dangerous driving offenders, ensuring jail sentences apply in a broader range of circumstances.
The Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Act (2026), also passed today, targets the most dangerous driving behaviours on Queensland roads including drink and drug driving, extreme speeding, and failure to wear a seatbelt.
From 1 December 2026, offenders will face:
- Doubled penalties for drug driving, with higher fines and longer licence disqualifications.
- Stronger penalties for combined drink and drug offences, targeting a growing and highly dangerous behaviour.
- Minimum court-imposed fines to ensure penalties match the seriousness of offences.
- Immediate six-month licence suspensions for drivers caught more than 40km/h over the speed limit.
- Improved seatbelt enforcement, allowing drivers to nominate adult passengers so the right person is held accountable.
Further changes rolling out in 2027 will streamline roadside drug testing, enabling more tests and faster enforcement, while introducing a mandatory drug driving education program to tackle repeat offending.
This evidence-based response is informed by expert advice, crash data, enforcement trends and community expectations, and is part of the Crisafulli Government’s plan to restore safety where you live.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said the Crisafulli Government was cracking down on dangerous drivers who put innocent lives at risk.
“The Crisafulli Government is delivering stronger laws that will make Queenslanders safer and help prevent the devastating consequences of dangerous driving,” the Attorney-General said.
“These new laws send a clear message to offenders, if you choose to act dangerously behind the wheel, you will face serious consequences.
“Unlike the former Labor Government, we’re putting the rights of victims ahead of violent offenders with tougher penalties and a more modernised offence framework to ensure our laws meet the expectations of the community.”
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the Crisafulli Government was focused on reducing road trauma and helping Queenslanders get home sooner and safer.
“Queensland’s road toll has been trending upwards for far too long, and our laws target the behaviours killing people on our roads,” Minister Mickelberg said.
“Drug driving has overtaken drink driving as the leading cause of motor vehicle deaths, with THC detected in more than 60 per cent of drug-driving deaths – it’s simply not safe to drive with drugs in your system.
“We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous behaviour behind the wheel, so more Queenslanders can get home safer and sooner.”
