NSW Police will soon deduct 4 demerit points, on the spot, for drivers found using their phones while behind the wheel of a car. The penalty will increase to 6 demerit points on public holidays, or just under half of a driver’s 13 available demerit points if on a full license.
Drivers on provisional licenses have either 4 demerit points (red P plates) or 7 points (green P plates), meaning the new penalties will either wit our your license all together or over half of your license, depending on how long you’ve been driving. The fine given for the offence is currently $319 and there is no suggestion of an increase to this figure.
"You might think this is a bit tough. I don't give a damn. We're deliberately making it tough. But if I save your life, I've done you a favour,” said NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gray.
The minister told media that a recent campaign to curb phone use in cars had lead to a 33% drop in the number of fines NSW Police had issued to people using phones in their car, but that the number of fines was still 35,000 and the new penalties would be “going to the next step”.
Police also estimate that 226 car crashes between 2009 and 2013 were caused by phone use in NSW, or more than one per week during this period. Six people have been killed in these instances, with over 100 injured.
The new penalties will come into effect in early 2016.
Texting and driving image via Shutterstock
Joseph Hanlon
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