Double Demerits apply this week and school zones active tomorrow

08 April 2020

Double Demerits - Easter Weekend 2020

People providing essential services and driving to work or families shopping for groceries this week are being reminded that double-demerits will apply from midnight tonight and will include an active school zone day tomorrow.

The NRMA is reminding its Members that the Easter weekend double-demerits will kick in tonight at midnight and include additional penalties for people caught breaking the law in school zones tomorrow – as school holidays don’t start until Good Friday.

Double demerits commence Thursday 9 April and end Monday 13 April inclusive. Tomorrow is a gazetted school day in NSW and additional fines will apply for offences in school zones. The NRMA is also alerting drivers to the fact that this is the first double demerit period with active Mobile Phone Detections Cameras being enforced and fines issued. Offences in school zones tomorrow will include:

10 demerit points and $457 fine for illegal phone use
Four points and $200 fine speeding 10 km/hr or under
Eight demerit points and $360 fine for speeding over 10/km/hr

Significant falls in traffic volumes due to COVID-19 travel restrictions has helped contribute to a 19 per cent fall in the state’s annual road toll to 88 deaths, as of 5 April.

NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said most people should be staying home over the double demerit period but for those who need to be on the road it was vital they don’t break the law.

Despite the significant falls in people driving we have still seen 88 lives lost on our roads and that is horrific.”

The NRMA's Peter Khoury

“For so many Australians right now weekly budgets are a balancing act – a fine over Easter could be all it takes to push them over the edge. Please slow down, put down the phone, wear your seatbelt and don’t drink and or take drugs and drive,” Mr Khoury said.

“Nobody can afford fines of several hundred dollars or lose their licence in these terrible economic conditions, especially people who need to drive because they provide essential services, so please take care over the Easter break and especially tomorrow, as school zones apply.

“Despite the significant falls in people driving we have still seen 88 lives lost on our roads and that is horrific. April has already seen four deaths despite the changed driving conditions and that’s two more than the same time last year.”