1.3 Million Drivers in New South Wales No Longer Have Demerit Points on Their Records
The demerit point may take up to three months to be completely erased from a driver’s record due to pending court cases and bureaucracy.
In an effort to promote safe driving behaviors, the New South Wales (NSW) government has opted to wipe off one demerit point—penalty points for violating certain traffic rules—for almost 1.3 million drivers in the state.
This move follows an announcement made by the NSW government in December. This announcement stated that drivers who maintained a clean driving record for one year could have a demerit point erased from their license. At that time, approximately 1.3 million drivers were eligible for the trial program, down from 1.7 million at the beginning of 2023.
Drivers start with zero demerit points but can accumulate points quickly if they commit a driving offense. If they reach the demerit point limit, they can lose their license. The demerit point limit is 13 points for an unrestricted license in NSW (12 points in other Australian states).
Normally, it takes three years for a demerit point to be wiped from a driving license. However, the trial program shortens this process by two-thirds.
The NSW government hoped that the move could incentivize motorists to drive more safely amid increased road accidents in 2023.
While touting the trial program as a “success,” NSW Premier Chris Minns acknowledged that the demerit point would not be wiped immediately and might take up to three months due to pending court cases and bureaucracy.
“Unfortunately, that is the quickest we can do at the moment,” he told reporters.
Roads Minister John Graham said that any drivers who missed out on the trial program could still have a chance as it had been extended for another year.
“If they can keep a clean sheet over the next 12 months, they’ll have a chance to earn a point back,” he said.
Sharp Rise in Road Toll
The NSW government’s announcement comes after a report by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) indicated that the death toll on Australian roads in the 12 months to Nov. 30, 2023, was 6.3 percent higher (1,253) compared to the previous year.
It was the highest record since March 2018.
South Australia saw the most significant increase in road toll at 61.4 percent (113 deaths), followed by NSW (354 deaths) at 23.8 percent, and Victoria (285 deaths) at 14.5 percent.
Despite the sharp rise in the death toll, the AAA said they could not figure out the reason due to a lack of information.
“Month after month, road deaths keep rising, and we lack the information needed to identify the reasons for this deadly trend and to develop the most effective measures for reducing crashes,” AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the NSW government is preparing to implement a crackdown on seatbelt noncompliance.
Mobile phone detection cameras across the state will be reconfigured to detect whether motorists wear seatbelts when driving.
The measure is expected to come into effect by the end of 2024.
