The double lines down the town’s main street indicate that motorists are not to cross them at all, and it is an offence to do so.

Ararat Rural City councillor Gwenda Allgood warned of the consequences to motorists caught doing it.

“It’s a very serious traffic offence. There is no comeback if you’re caught doing this,” she said.

“I think the fine is up around the $140 or $150 mark.”

Senior Constable Peter Gilbert of Northern Grampians Highway Patrol said although he hadn’t noticed a rise in motorists crossing the lines, it is an issue they are continuously policing and could constitute multiple offences. 

“If they do a U-turn in the middle of the street, it’s against a U-turn sign. If they turn into a carpark on the opposite side of the road that would be crossing two continuous parallel dividing lines, and if they crossed near the traffic lights it would be drive on or over a painted island,” he said. 

The penalties for these ranged from a $160 fine to a $322 fine with three demerit points. 

Senior Constable Gilbert said that many motorists are unaware that it is an offence, and tourists were especially likely to be unaware of the road rules surrounding continuous lines on roads. 

“A lot of people aren’t (aware) – that’s the first thing that they say, ‘I didn’t know it was an offence,’” he said.