Safe drivers and motorcyclists across NSW are set to receive an early Christmas present, with the Minns Labor Government today announcing the Demerit Point Reward Program will be made permanent.
The program removes one demerit point from unrestricted licence holders who stay offence-free for a 12-month period, offering a practical incentive that recognises safe behaviour over time.
Since the first trial began in 2023, more than 1.7 million licence holders have benefited from having at least one point removed.
This year alone, more than one million NSW licence holders are eligible to have a point wiped if they continue to do the right thing and remain offence-free.
Making the program permanent is another example of the Minns Government backing commonsense on NSW roads and recognising the millions of motorists who choose safer, more responsible driving every day.
The announcement comes as NSW roads will see increased traffic during the Christmas and summer holiday period, reinforcing the importance of safe decisions behind the wheel.
The Minns Government will introduce legislation to support the permanent Demerit Point Reward Program in early 2026, when Parliament resumes in February.
Once legislated, the permanent program will sit alongside the Minns Government's broader road safety agenda, which sees a record investment of $2.8 billion over four years, with a focus on education, essential infrastructure upgrades, targeted enforcement, and rebuilding a stronger culture of safety and personal responsibility on our roads.
Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:
"Road safety programs should recognise and reinforce safe, responsible behaviour, especially where people have made mistakes in the past, but have improved their road safety behaviour on the road over the past year.
"The Minns Labor Government will always back commonsense reform on our roads.
"We want people who have made poor choices in the past to develop and sustain safer habits in the future. This is adopting a "carrot" approach to encourage people to engage in safe, responsible behaviour every time they drive.
"In addition to this reform, we have invested $2.8 billion in road safety which is helping to strengthen enforcement, identified ways to strengthen the demerit point system, boosted road safety infrastructure programs and leveraged new technologies to catch dangerous behaviour.
"With the Christmas break and school holidays approaching and some of the busiest weeks on our roads ahead, I'm urging everyone to drive so others survive: slow down, put your phone away, buckle up properly, and never drive tired or after drinking alcohol or using drugs."
