Every fine now comes with Demerit Points. These can be seen as negative points against your drivers licence.
Points range from 1 - 6 depending on the severity of the offence. For example; 1 would be for a minor parking offence and 6 (the maximum) would be for going through a red robot.
The points go onto the drivers licence number of a private vehicle owner and recorded on eNatis.
Vehicles that are owned by a business get points on the licence number of the vehicle.
The threshold is 15 points. If you exceed 15 then your drivers licence is suspended and will have to be handed in at your local licencing authority.
If a business vehicle exceeds 15 points then the licence disc of the vehicle is suspended.
No person or vehicle with a suspended licence can drive on our roads and if caught it becomes a criminal offence and the suspension is extended for a year.
If a business vehicle has more than 15 points the licence disc is suspended and the vehicle cannot be used or sold until it goes back down to 15 or below.
1 x Point is deducted if you drive without getting a fine for a period of 3 months. So 3 months of good driving behavior wins you back 1 point. You cannot go into negative points.
This is a severe system! Think of it like this; if you were on 12 points and go through a red robot and receive a further 6 points you would be up to 18. Your licence would be suspended and every 3 months it would come down by 1 point. It would take you 9 months to get back down to 15 where your licence becomes valid again.
If you exceed 15 points more than 3 times you licence is cancelled and you will have to undergo driver rehabilitation "school" and redo your licence.
It is unclear at this point in time what will happen to a business vehicle if it exceeds 15 points more than 3 times.
This is powerful legislation and no-one can afford to have a suspended drivers or suspended car licence under these hard economic times.