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The road rule hardly anyone knows, that has cost drivers more than $600,000.

 

There’s nothing worse than being slammed with a hefty traffic fine.

But it’s even worse when you didn’t even know the rule existed.

Hundreds of Queensland drivers have been fined for driving through orange traffic lights.

Yep, that’s right.

In Queensland, it’s actually illegal to run an orange light.

Motorists who drive through an orange light in Queensland are faced with the same fine for running a red light – $348 and a loss of three demerit points.

In the last year alone, Queensland drivers have paid $600,000 in fines just for this one little-known law.

Ouch.

Since 2015, more than 5300 drivers have been caught running an orange light.

Image: Getty.
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And in January of this year alone, $50,000 worth of fines were issued to rule-breakers caught by police or traffic cameras.

“Motorists must stop on a yellow light unless it is unsafe to do so,” a spokeswoman for Transport and Main Roads told The Courier Mail.

“If it is unsafe to stop, such as being close to the light when it changes from green to yellow, you may proceed through the yellow light within the posted speed limit,” she added.

In New South Wales, you can enter an intersection on an orange light without facing a fine. The Road and Maritime Services states, "you can enter the intersection if you are so close that sudden braking might cause a crash".

Victoria and South Australia also have similar orange light rules.

Australia is home to a number of interesting road rules.

In NSW, drivers cannot drive through puddles or splash water on people waiting for a bus.

You can also be fined in NSW for moving more than three metres away from your car without locking it.

It's also illegal in some states to have any part of your body outside the car window.