Beware Of Phone-Detecting Cameras This Double Demerits Season


Motorists take note: Double Demerits are now active in select states and territories across Australia, which makes it a lot easier to lose your licence. Drivers in NSW will also need to be extra mindful of phone-detecting camera this year, which are now in operation across the state. Here’s what you need to know.

If you’re planning a big drive over the summer holidays, take heed: double demerits are already in full force.

The double demerits system was implemented in a bid to encourage drivers to obey road rules during public holidays when traffic tends to be busiest. This includes the traditional Christmas holiday break between 12am, 20 December 2017 and 12am, 1 January 2018.

During these times, demerit points are doubled for a range of driving offences, including speeding, illegal use of mobile phones, not wearing a seat belt and riding without a motorcycle helmet. Other traffic offences can also incur additional penalties during this period.

Currently, the double demerit system is practised in Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Here’s what each state is doing over the Christmas break, according to official police statements:

NSW Double Demerits

The demerit point system provides an incentive for drivers to improve their driving behaviour, obey road rules and comply with NSW traffic laws. The double demerit point scheme applies for the following types of offences:

  • Speeding
  • Illegal use of mobile phones
  • Not wearing a seatbelt
  • Riding without a helmet

By law, double demerit periods must be advertised and awareness campaigns are co-ordinated with traditional enforcement and increased police numbers.

Canberra / ACT

ACT Policing is reminding motorists that double demerits will be in place this festive season from the first instance of Friday 20 December 2017 to the last instance of Monday 1 January 2018.

All speed and seatbelt offences, the use of a mobile phone while driving, driving with a passenger in or on part of the vehicle not designed for carriage of passengers or goods, and riding a motorbike without a helmet will incur double demerit points. All other offences will incur one extra demerit point.

There are a lot of people travelling at this time of year and the roads will be busy. We want everyone to arrive at their destination safely. If travelling long distances, make sure that you plan your trip and allow enough time for a rest break every 2 hours.

Queensland:

In Queensland, double demerit points are applied to persons who repeatedly commit specific offences that increase the road safety risk to the person themselves or other road users. Double demerit points apply all year round for these repeat offenders as a way of discouraging dangerous driving behaviours on a continuing basis.

Double demerit points are allocated for certain second or subsequent driver seatbelt offences, motorbike helmet offences and offences for speeding more than 20km/h over the speed limit, that are committed within 1 year of a previous offence. Double demerit points also apply for second or subsequent mobile phone offences that are committed by drivers within 1 year of an earlier offence.

A person does not necessarily have to commit the same type of offence a second or subsequent time to be allocated double demerit points. A second or subsequent offence only needs to be within the same offence group for the person to accumulate double demerit points.

Western Australia:

During the Christmas/New Year period double demerit points will apply between 12.01am on 20 December 2017 until 11.59pm on 4 January 2018.

During this period double demerit points will apply to the following offences:

  • Speeding
  • Seatbelt offences pertaining to drivers
  • Driving with a BAC of or above 0.05
  • Presence of prescribed illicit drugs, or fail to supply oral sample or blood
  • Contravene a red traffic control signal
  • Contravene a red traffic control arrow
  • The illegal use of mobile phones.

As mentioned above, NSW recently launched mobile phone detection cameras around the state. Unlike speed and red light cameras, the mobile phone detection cameras uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine whether a driver is distracted by a mobile device. (This is what they look like.)

NSW has not disclosed the locations of its phone detecting cameras, so you should just assume they’re everywhere and not text and drive. (Which is what you’re doing already. Right?)

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