More than one million drivers across New South Wales have been rewarded for safe driving after completing 12 months without any traffic offences. The latest figures mark the second successful year of the state government’s demerit point return scheme.

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Who Qualified For The Scheme

When the second year began in January 2025, nearly 1.5 million drivers (1,483,926) were eligible. Of these, 1,003,610 drivers successfully completed the 12-month period offence-free, each receiving one demerit point removed from their licence. Notably, more than 420,000 drivers have now had demerit points wiped for two consecutive years.

Suburbs Leading The Way

The program saw the highest participation from car-reliant suburbs and regional areas:

  • Blacktown led with over 6000 drivers benefiting.
  • Castle Hill, Merrylands, Auburn, and Maroubra each had more than 4500 drivers earn a demerit point removal.
  • In regional NSW, drivers in Orange, Dubbo, Port Macquarie, and Coffs Harbour saw over 16,000 demerit points collectively removed.

New Timeline For Year Three

Starting in 2026, the eligibility period will change. The full 12-month assessment will now end on 31 January each year. This adjustment ensures drivers maintain safe behaviour during the busy summer holiday period, which historically has seen elevated crash rates.

Ongoing Licence Updates

Motorists who remain eligible will see their demerit tallies updated from the second quarter of 2025. The scheme remains open to unrestricted and professional licence holders who have active demerit points.

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Broader Road Safety Measures Continue

The demerit reward program is just one part of NSW's broader road safety strategy. In 2024 and continuing into 2025, the NSW Government introduced several additional safety initiatives:

  • A trial of average speed cameras for light vehicles.
  • Doubling the number of roadside enforcement locations for mobile speed cameras, adding 2,700 new sites.
  • Seatbelt detection using existing mobile phone camera technology.
  • Requiring all drivers on foreign licences to convert to NSW licences within six months.
  • Implementing recommendations from the Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce to close loopholes.
  • Expanding the star rating system for bicycle helmets.
  • Signing the National Road Safety Data Agreement with the Commonwealth to strengthen data-driven safety policy.

NSW Continues Focus On Road Safety

With more than a million drivers now benefiting from the demerit point return scheme, NSW continues to balance enforcement with incentives to encourage safer driving habits. The combination of technology-driven enforcement and positive reinforcement through demerit rewards reflects the state’s ongoing effort to make roads safer for all users.

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