Double demerits questioned as Aussie drivers face different rules: 'Not seen any evidence'
As double demerits come to and end in some states, road advocates question whether or not they're effective in saving lives over the holiday period.
Authorities in some Aussie states have long believed in the power of double demerits in keeping drivers safe during busy holiday periods, but some researchers believe there's not enough evidence to support the belief.
Instead, more road awareness and education should be the focus, which could prove more effective in minimising fatalities on Aussie roads without drivers facing penalties that could see them lose their licence. Some road safety advocates believe there needs to be more research into how the deterrent of double demerit periods impacts behaviour on our roads — and NRMA's Peter Khoury agrees.
While the NRMA "supports double demerits" in some situations — which are enforced in New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland and ACT — he told Yahoo News there "should absolutely be more peer-reviewed research into their effectiveness".
His remarks are in response to claims by the Australasian College of Road Safety CEO, Ingrid Johnston who admitted "there's not a lot of good research on the efficacy of these campaigns".
While there is some older research from when they were first introduced (which for NSW and the ACT was late 1990s, with WA following in 2008), she said "there hasn't been a lot which has been done recently".
"We should be reviewing road safety initiatives regularly, all of them, not just double demerits because conditions change," Khoury said. "So when we're talking about road safety, we should be encouraging more peer-reviewed research into their effectiveness".
How Aussie states view double demerits
NSW, WA and the ACT all enforce double demerits during the holiday periods, and long weekends throughout the year. In NSW, double demerits are enforced for speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt, and motorcycle helmet offences in a bid to deter people from committing offences.
Between 20 December 2024 and 1 January 2025, NSW Police charged hundreds of motorists for speeding, drink driving and other dangerous driving offences, when double demerits were in force. Ten people died in crashes over the period, four more than during the operation last year.
However, other states including Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and Northern Territory have a different view and don't believe double demerits are the right approach.
"We have not seen any evidence of proven safety or deterrent benefit from enforcing double demerit points during holiday periods," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
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In Queensland, where double demerits are in place year-round for some problem drivers, a Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said, "Dangerous driving behaviours are unacceptable and extremely risky all year round, not just during holiday periods".
"Queensland's approach to double demerits applies all year to ensure a consistent deterrent effect and target recidivist high-risk behaviours".
Road fatalities spike over the Christmas holidays
Over the past decade, 380 lives have been lost on average on Aussie roads during the Christmas holidays, and fatalities have increased sharply over the last three years, according to Road Safety Education (RSE).
Drivers aged between 17 and 25 years old account for 22 per cent of Christmas road fatalities during this period, with young motorists facing a disproportionate risk of accidents.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracey Chapman, Commander of Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, said that she still can’t comprehend why drivers choose to disobey road rules during the festive period.
"We have seen an increase in dangerous drivers, with some of the highest numbers of speeding and drink driving offences being detected during this festive period."
She said the holiday period is traditionally the busiest time of the year on NSW roads.
"The risk of a fine or the loss of demerit points should deter people from breaking the law. However, not putting the lives of others at risk should be the incentive to use our roads safely," she said
Throughout the year, to December 17, a total of 330 lives were lost on NSW roads.
Are double demerits effective in saving lives?
Emeritus Professor Ann Williamson, who is part of the University of NSW Transport and Road Safety Centre research group believes demerits in general likely only work "for a relatively short period of time" — for example, a two week period over the Christmas break. But it's unlikely double demerits will change driver behaviour.
"Getting a letter in the post three weeks after the holidays has not changed your behaviour while you are driving during the holiday period — the consequences need to be linked to the behaviour itself," she told the ABC.
"Doubling [demerits] doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to get double the benefit and I think some of the other jurisdictions have just remained using [standard] demerit points."
Khoury agrees, telling Yahoo that enforced double demerits can help with awareness and to "alert drivers that conditions are going to change over that period".
"There's going to be a lot more people on the road and people are often at higher risk because they're travelling longer distances," he said.
"People are off at Christmas parties, so drink and drug driving can be a high sense factor. What double demerits do is, when coupled with law enforcement by police and enhanced education programs, it can just alert drivers, they could lose their license."
What states enforce double demerits?
NSW: Between Friday, December 20 Wednesday, January 1 2025.
Western Australia: Between Friday, December 20 and Sunday, January 5.
ACT: Same as NSW. Between Friday, December 20 Wednesday, January 1 2025.
Queensland: Queensland, unlike the other states, does not apply double-demerit points during the Christmas period, but they’re enforced year-round for some drivers. Drivers who repeatedly commit traffic offences with be hit with double demerits for the second or subsequent offences if the later offence was committed within 12 months of an earlier offence.
Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory: There are no double-demerit points enforced at any point of the year.
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