A learner who stops briefly to collect a passenger might assume there cannot be a parking offence because the engine is running. In South Australia the words No Stopping, No Parking and Clearway have different consequences. Driving instructors should teach drivers to read the sign and operating times before pulling over.
Three distinct instructions
A No Stopping sign or continuous yellow edge line prohibits stopping in the signed area, including a brief passenger pickup or drop-off, subject to applicable legal exemptions. A No Parking sign is different: the Driver’s Handbook permits a limited pickup or drop-off of passengers or goods provided the driver does not leave the vehicle unattended, does not move more than three metres away, and completes the activity as soon as possible and within two minutes. That is not permission to wait indefinitely.
A Clearway restricts stopping during its indicated operating hours, including picking up and setting down passengers. The handbook notes an exemption for buses. Outside the indicated times, other applicable parking signs and general restrictions must still be considered; a clearway sign does not automatically make the location a valid parking space at all other times.
Apply the distinction to a teaching route
Before an intended stop, ask the learner to check the signs from the start of the zone, the direction and operating period, nearby intersections or crossings, driveways, and whether stopping would obstruct or endanger traffic. If the location is unsuitable, find another legal stopping position rather than make a hurried last-second manoeuvre.
Use two parking examples: one with a No Parking restriction and one with a Clearway sign. Have the learner explain whether a two-minute pickup is allowed under the particular sign and what else might prohibit it. Make sure they do not confuse the driver’s physical presence with the definition of ‘attended’.
Observe the complete decision
Successful performance includes choosing a place legally, signalling and checking appropriately, positioning safely and re-entering traffic with a fresh observation. When an illegal stop is proposed, correct the interpretation of the sign before practising the manoeuvre again.
Official references and further learning
Explore DAA car instructor training.
Instructor education only. Refer to current South Australian legislation and official guidance before using this information in formal training or assessment.