CHRIS MINNS
PREMIER OF NSW

JOHN GRAHAM
SPECIAL MINISTER OF STATE
MINISTER FOR ROADS
MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MINISTER FOR MUSIC AND THE NIGHT-TIME ECONOMY
MINISTER FOR JOBS AND TOURISM

JENNY AITCHISON
MINISTER FOR REGIONAL TRANSPORT AND ROADS

MEDIA RELEASE - A MILLION REASONS TO DRIVE SAFELY IN 2024

The NSW Government is urging motorists to drive safely as more than 1.2 million motorists are being rewarded for their safe driving with a demerit point being removed from their licence.

The 12-month demerit point trial, which ended on January 16, was put in place to help encourage drivers to follow the rules and will benefit 1.24 million drivers who remained offence-free from 17 January 2023. 

The scheme is to be extended for a second year as the NSW Government sharpens its focus on road safety in 2024.

The scheme gave 1.7 million motorists the chance to have a demerit point erased, with 70 per cent of those initially eligible set to benefit.

Thousands of drivers saw their tally of demerits rise during the bungled removal of mobile speed camera signage by the former Liberal government and the chance to shed a demerit point will be invaluable for many drivers – some of whom rely on a licence for their income.

Data from Transport for NSW shows there are about 114,000 drivers with more than ten demerit points on their licences, according to a snapshot taken this month.

The accumulation of 13 demerit points leads to an unrestricted licence being cancelled.

Motorists can expect to see the removal of a demerit point from their records from April.

The lag period allows for recent offence notifications to be received and some court matters settled before a final list of offence-free drivers can be finalised.

The scheme is just one initiative in the Government’s campaign on road safety.

The Government recently announced a road safety forum to be held in Sydney next month to lead the conversation on how to address the road toll, which has risen across Australian jurisdictions as traffic volumes have rebounded following COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“I am deeply concerned by the number of lives lost on NSW roads, and we all have a responsibility to do more.

“There is no acceptable road toll and that’s why we are using both the carrot and the stick approach to encouraging safer driving.”

“Safety is the main aim of this trial. The scheme will be extended so anyone with an unrestricted and professional licence with at least one demerit point on their record on 17 January 2024 has a chance to be rewarded for driving safely in 2024.

“Our message couldn’t be clearer: drive safely and you’ll get a point scrubbed from your licence. The more drivers who follow the road rules, the more who will qualify to have a point removed in 2024 and keep our roads safe.

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“I urge all motorists to renew their commitment to safe driving in 2024. The NSW Government believes in encouraging safety and the demerit point trial is part of our carrot-and-stick approach to reward good driving behaviour and penalise poor behaviour on the roads.

“It is critical that all motorists and all communities keep road safety at the top of mind with the road toll having increased in NSW and across all Australian states and territories in 2023.

"The NSW Government is hosting a road safety forum in Sydney next month to bring together the top international and Australian experts to tackle the issue of rising deaths on our roads.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

"Many people in regional NSW depend on driving for their livelihood or just to get around and do not have the public transport alternatives of other more populated areas. The reward of a demerit point being removed will be a meaningful one to many of those people.

“This trial is unapologetically about encouraging safer driving and that’s exactly what we need in the regions where we have a third of the state’s population but more than two-thirds of all road fatalities.

“There is no place for complacency on our roads. Whether you are walking, riding, or driving – every decision we make on the road can have life-changing consequences, affecting not only those directly involved in a crash, but also their loved ones and the community at large.

“We urge everyone on our roads to make safety your top priority.” 

MEDIA:

Sarah Michael | Premier | 0401 591 286

Heath Aston | Minister Graham | 0458 655 879

Wendy Fitzgibbon | Minister Aitchison | 0408 427 540