More than 18,000 motorists in Mosman and North Sydney have had a demerit point removed from their driving records, reflecting a broader effort across NSW to incentivise good road behaviour.
Mosman, with a total of 25,938 licensed drivers, saw 8,145 individuals with current demerit points, of which 4,977 qualified for this reduction. In North Sydney, from 76,020 licensed holders, 20,535 had demerit points with 13,069 meeting the criteria for removal.
This local focus forms part of a state-wide program that erased points for over one million drivers, aiming to reinforce safe driving practices amidst increasing road fatalities.
The initiative also significantly benefited drivers in the Central Coast area, where 54,971 motorists saw a point deducted from their records. Additionally, car-dependent regions like Western Sydney witnessed substantial participation with 290,287 demerit points collectively removed across several LGAs including Blacktown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Liverpool, and Parramatta.
With NSW facing a crisis of 369 road deaths in the last year, the government’s program targets a broader reduction in fatalities by encouraging adherence to traffic regulations. The demerit point removal, typically a process that spans three years, has been accelerated for those maintaining a clean driving slate from January 17, 2023, to January 17, 2024, as part of a strategic approach to enhance road safety.
“The reward of a demerit point removed is most valuable in areas where people depend on their car to get to work and to get their families around like in western Sydney, the Central Coast and our regional areas,” Minister for Roads John Graham said.
“If you drive for a living then the reward for safe driving could be the difference between ongoing employment and losing your livelihood.
“People are used to the stick of enforcement and double demerits but this is the carrot of reward for good behaviour,” Mr Graham went on.
“Every demerit point wiped from a licence under this trial is the result of a full 12 months of safe driving by a motorist on NSW roads.
“This is what we need at a time when fatalities on our roads have been rising just as they are in all other states and territories.
The ongoing efforts to promote safer driving behaviour continue with plans to extend the demerit point return trial and implement additional safety measures such as seatbelt enforcement via mobile detection cameras. These initiatives represent a crucial step towards reducing the road toll and ensuring safer travel for all NSW residents.
Published 2-June-2024
