What you need to know about double demerits during the Christmas period

Motorists need to be especially careful over the Christmas period in some parts of the country, where harsher penalties than usual will apply.

Motorists should beware this festive season, with double demerit points in place across some states and territories during the Christmas period and police targeting reckless driving on our roads.

In a bid to keep the nation’s roads safe and clamp down on illegal behaviour, people caught breaking road rules in certain states will automatically incur double the usual amount of demerit points on their licence.

In New South Wales, the double demerits period begins on Friday, December 22 and ends on Monday, January 1.

The harsher penalties apply for not wearing a seatbelt, riding without a helmet and illegally using mobile phones.

People caught breaking road rules in certain states will automatically incur double the usual amount of demerit points on their licence in some states.

The Australian Capital Territory follows the same timeline as NSW.

Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory don’t enforce double demerit points over the holiday period, but police will be out in force and normal rules still apply.

In Western Australia the double demerits period runs longer than in any other state. This year, police will hand out double the number of points from December 23 to January 8.

Up to 14 points can be accrued if you try to evade speed camera detection, or fit a device that blocks speeds from being detected.

Victoria, Tasmania South Australia and the Northern Territory don’t enforce double demerit points over the holiday period.

Queensland has a variation on double demerit points.

Unlike other states and territories, double demerits don’t just apply over the holidays.

Drivers who commit specific offences for the second or third time within 12 months receive double demerit points at any time of the year.

These offences include speeding more than 20kms over the legal limit, failing to wear a seatbelt, using a mobile phone, motorcycle helmet offences and failing to make sure passengers under the age of 16 are properly restrained.

Originally published as What you need to know about double demerits during the Christmas period