To help reduce young driver deaths on our roads, learner licence holders are included in the demerit points scheme. The allocation of demerit points for certain traffic offences is designed to encourage safe and responsible driving.
Under the scheme, your learner licence will be suspended, or a licence application or renewal refused, for a period of three months if you incur four or more demerit points within a three-year period.
The minimum number of demerit points for a speeding offence committed by a learner is four. This means that your learner licence will be suspended, or your application for a learner licence refused, under the demerit points scheme for three months for any speeding offence.
You can also lose your licence for higher levels of speeding. An additional three-month suspension applies for exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km/h and a six-month suspension applies for speeding more than 45 km/h.
Police can also suspend and confiscate your licence at the roadside for speeding more than 30 km/h over the limit or if you drive without a supervisor.
A learner driver has the right to appeal to a local court a decision to suspend or refuse a licence under the demerit points or excessive speed schemes.
Heavy penalties, including a jail sentence and disqualification from driving, may be imposed by a court if you are convicted of driving while your licence is suspended or refused.
The majority of drivers, including learners, are able to drive safely and in accordance with the law. However, drivers under 20 years of age continue to be over-represented in road crashes. The inclusion of learner licence holders in the demerit points scheme will further encourage safe driving by young people and help reduce the trauma caused by road crashes to individuals and their families and friends.