Graduated demerit points
Safer drivers mean safer roads for all Western Australians. To achieve this, the Government is introducing a new Graduated Demerit Point system for Novice Drivers.
Index
- Why introduce a graduated novice driver demerit point system?
- Who is a novice driver?
- There are two types of novice drivers
- Demerit point check (online)
- Related documents
- Novice driver's graduated demerit points quiz
- What if the quizzes don't work for me?
Why introduce a graduated novice driver demerit point system?
Safer drivers mean safer roads for all Western Australians. To achieve this, the Government is introducing a new Graduated Demerit Point system for Novice Drivers.- This system took effect on 1 December 2010.
Research has found that novice drivers who get demerit points for breaking the road rules were 66 per cent more likely of being involved in a crash. It also shows that these drivers, who break the road rules as a novice, are more likely to be involved in crashes later in life. Early intervention is critical if we are to reduce the number of new/inexperienced driver's being killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes.
In an effort to reduce traffic related mortality and morbidity rates, the Road Safety Council developed a number of recommendations based on international research and best practice. Through these recommendations it is estimated that the lives of up to 28 West Australians will be saved each year, plus result in a significant reduction in the number of serious injuries. One of the key recommendations was a Graduated Demerit Point system to deter unsafe driving practices. Research shows that infringements and convictions received as a novice are good predictors of future crash involvement and that the most effective time to motivate drivers to develop safe driving behaviours is when they first gain their Provisional licence. Essentially, influencing driver behaviour at an early stage of the driving experience helps Novice Drivers to develop safe driving practises that they will keep with them throughout their driving life. |
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Frequently Asked Questions - Graduated demerit points for Novice Drivers
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Who is a novice driver?
For the purposes of the Graduated Demerit Point system, a person is a Novice Driver until they have held a driver's licence for at least two (2) years or periods adding up to two (2) years. This may include:- a first time learner's permit holder
- the holder of a provisional driver's licence
- a driver from overseas who has not held a driver's licence for at least two years
- the holder of an extraordinary driver's licence
There are two types of novice drivers
Novice Driver Type 1:
A person is a Novice Driver Type 1 until they have held a driver’s licence for a period of at least one year or periods adding up to one year, and includes a first time learner’s permit holder.
Up until the end of the first year of holding a licence a person will only be able to have three (3) demerit points recorded against them. If four (4) or more demerit points are recorded against a person, they will be disqualified for at least three months and any driver’s licence held will be cancelled.
Novice Driver Type 2:
A Novice Driver Type 2 is a person who has held a driver’s licence for more than one (1) year but less than two (2) years.
Up until the end of the second year of holding a driver’s licence, a person will only be able to have seven (7) demerit points recorded against them in total. If eight (8) or more demerit points are recorded against the person, they will be disqualified for at least three months and any driver’s licence held will be cancelled.
The Novice Driver concept aims to ensure that a driver gains at least two years experience before they are able to hold an unrestricted licence or what is colloquially called an ordinary or full licence.
The Graduated Demerit point system aims to reduce the crash risk of Novice drivers by limiting their driving to safer, lower risk conditions, progressively lifting these restrictions as they move through successive stages of driving and develop more experience.
How do I know which limit applies to me?
The table below shows when the different demerit point limits apply.
Remember any demerit points you get as a learner will also count towards the 4 and 8 point limits.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Graduated demerit points for Novice Drivers
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Demerit point check (online)
Demerit points are issued by the WA Police or an authorised officer for motoring offences. The points can vary anywhere from one to six points depending on the type of offence, except during long weekends and holiday seasons when the allocated demerit points for the offence will be double.
Related documents
The following resources are designed to explain how the Novice Driver reduced demerit point laws operate.
Novice driver's graduated demerit points quiz
Learn about novice driver graduated demerit points and how they impact upon drivers and riders.The quiz consists of 10 multiple choice questions. Select the answer that you think is correct. After you have made your selection, select "next" to proceed.
- The quiz contains 10 questions.
- You must attempt all 10 questions in order to review your results.
- The pass rate is set at 100%
Please select the following button to get started.
What if the quizzes don't work for me?
- Please note that many of the quiz questions do not have an image associated with them.
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