NSW and ACT: Drivers warned as double demerit penalties begin for King’s Birthday long weekend

Double demerits will be dealt out across NSW and the ACT this June long weekend, as police target specific dangerous driving behaviours on our roads.

The four-day operation will happen in NSW and the ACT, with police out in force from Friday to Monday.

Double demerits penalties will be applied to all speeding, seatbelt, and mobile phone offences, as well as riding while not wearing a helmet.

All other traffic offences will attract one additional demerit point.

Officer in Charge of ACT Road Policing Acting Inspector Ken Williams said police were dialling up their road presence ahead of the mass holiday ‘exodus’ normally seen in the ACT.

‘If you are travelling interstate remember to drive to the conditions and take regular breaks,’ he said.

‘We want to see people doing the right thing … slow down, obey the speed limit, and if you are drinking across the weekend, please don’t drive.’

Inspector Williams took the opportunity to urge motorists to work with police as they conduct road safety operations over the Sovereign’s Birthday long weekend.

‘Police don’t want to be handing out infringements, but we will if we see drivers disobeying the road rules,’ he said.

In addition to an increased police presence on the state and territory’s roads, mobile phone detection cameras will also remain active across the long weekend.

During this period, a driver caught using their mobile phone will be hit with a $352 fine, which increases to $469 if in a school zone, and an eye-watering 10 demerit points.

For each person not wearing a seatbelt over this period, they will be hit with a hefty six demerit points and a $352 fine.

A driver with four or more unrestrained passengers can expect to cop 12 demerit points and a whopping $1,487 fine.

The road crackdown will apply in NSW and the ACT from Friday until Monday

Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania do not employ double-demerit operations in their road safety strategies.

For road users enjoying the King’s Birthday long weekend across these states and territories, the usual penalties and fines will apply, although there will likely be an increased police presence on the roads.

Western Australia and Queensland will observe the King’s Birthday public holiday on Monday, September 25, and Monday, October 2, respectively.

While Queensland does use double demerits, they do not only apply during holiday periods like in NSW, the ACT and WA – they instead apply to drivers who repeatedly commit specific offences within a 12-month period.

This system may still apply to Queensland licence holders who commit traffic offences in other states and territories.

While demerit points will be doubled across NSW and the ACT over the four-day period, fines will remain the same.