In welcome news for upstanding model citizens behind the wheel in NSW, drivers with flawless records are about to get quite the unexpected reward.

A new measure enacted by the state government, aimed at 'rewarding safe driving', now allows drivers to recover lost demerit points.

The law allowing the trial passed through parliament on August 2. It promotes an Australian-first trial, making it possible for NSW drivers who maintain a spotless driving record for over a year to have one demerit point scrubbed from their record.

A year from January 17, 2022, will be the starting point for the period covered by the measure.

Demerit points are scheduled for removal from mid-April 2024 onwards, while the government has flagged a three-month administration period to finalise offences. This is a massive leap from the past, when it took three years for a driver to remove a demerit point.

Around 1.7 million drivers in NSW are seen to potentially benefit from the program.

Officials hope the trial encourages better driving on state roads. Image Credit: Pixabay.

This only applies to full-licence holders and does not affect learner and provisional licence holders.

As per Roads Minister John Graham's words, this novel approach to driving safety has been launched to encourage safe driving habits among the public.

‘The demerit trial is an important carrot for drivers to remain offence-free over a 12-month period,’ he said.

‘We will closely watch the results to see if there is a net safety benefit for motorists, pedestrians, and communities… We haven’t tried the idea of using incentives.'

'Drivers who’ve committed very serious offences will find themselves off the road, in most cases. Obviously, in those instances, they’re just not going to be eligible. But for drivers who have accumulated a significant number of points, we want them to drive better.'

The trial program was initially planned for a July 1 rollout; however, the government managed to expedite the program to backdate eligibility to January 17 as part of Labor election promises.

Key Takeaways

• NSW drivers with a flawless driving record from January 17, 2022, will be eligible to have one demerit point removed from their record under a new trial.
• This initiative, an Australian first, will see demerit points removed from mid-April 2024 onwards.
• The trial is only available to full-licence holders and is intended as an incentive for safe driving.
• The NSW government and Roads Minister believe that the trial will encourage more conscientious driving while also ensuring road safety remains the key focus of traffic legislation.

NSW Premier Chris Minns threw his weight behind the initiative with his statement: 'Reducing the road toll and rewarding safe driving across the state is the aim of this trial and I am pleased the parliament agreed, with bipartisan support.'

'It’s time we put safety back at the centre of our road rules, not revenue raising,' he added.

In conclusion, the perfect record does not just reflect your skill and responsibility as a driver and now fetches you a surprising reward from the government.

So why wait? Let’s hit the road for safe driving–it may lead us to an unexpected benefit! Keep those seat belts buckled, the speed limits respected, and your hands off those phones!

Not all heroes wear capes, some just drive safely. Safe driving, folks!

Do you think this measure should be implemented in all states and territories across Australia? Or are you interested to see how it goes in NSW before you decide whether or not it should be open to everyone? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

 

[Cheezil]

To encourage safe driving habits, would be a good idea if they brought in a discount system on car Registration for people who have a 12 month flawless driving record.

Much more likely to be an incentive too than the demerits