The summer holiday is one of the busiest periods of the year on Australia’s roads as many of us hit the highways to visit friends and family or travel to that long-awaited summer break. But with double demerit points starting this week, it’s a timely reminder to be extra safe on the roads.

Transport for NSW and NSW Police are doubling down on bad driving behaviours, with their Double Demerits Enforcement Road Safety Campaign to encourage safe and responsible driver behaviour on our roads this summer.

From this Friday 20 December until Wednesday 1 January, the penalties for drivers and riders who break the road rules are more severe than usual. During this period, you’ll face double the points, not double the fine and the message is – you can stop it or cop it.

The double demerit point scheme applies for the following offences:

• speeding
• illegal use of mobile phones
• not wearing a seatbelt or incorrectly wearing a seatbelt
• driving with a passenger not wearing a seatbelt or approved restraint, or with a passenger incorrectly wearing a seatbelt or restraint
• riding without a helmet.

Demerit points typically take 3 years to expire from a drivers’ record from the date of the offence; at 13 points, your licence will be suspended.

A 2024-demerit-points-relief-for-safe-driver trial in which eligible drivers were rewarded for good driving during the trial period, has been extended for a second year.

The trial saw eligible drivers - learner and provisional licence holders were excluded – who maintained an offence-free record during the trial, have one demerit point removed from their driving records.

For more information on demerit points and the safe driver trial visit the Transport for NSW website.