New demerit system-New driving points system hits the road

[Candy Bouwer]

Details of South Africa's tough new measures to remove dangerous drivers from the road by suspending or revoking their licences have been revealed.

The new system will be introduced in Pretoria on September 1 and then extended throughout the country.

Every driver will be awarded 12 points. If you lose those points through 12 demerits in a year, your licence will be suspended. After three suspensions, your licence will be cancelled.

So strict are the new regulations that you could have your driver's licence suspended immediately if, for example:
· You're caught speeding.
· You're not wearing a seatbelt.
· Your car's tail lights are not in working order.
· You left your licence at home.

And in addition to losing your licence, you will be slapped with a stiff fine.

National Transport Department official Ndivhuwo Mabaya said each motorist would be allocated 12 points at the beginning of each year.

If he or she remained penalty-free at the end of the year, the next year would kick off with an additional 12 points plus a bonus point - a total of 25.

This process would be repeated every year, with the result that good drivers would be rewarded by building up a bank of bonus points. Conversely, points will be deducted for offences committed during each year.

However, don't think you can build up, say, five years worth of brownie points as a safeguard against any serious traffic offence you might commit in the future - such as drunken driving, excessive speeding or running over a pedestrian while you're inebriated.

In the case of major traffic violations, the law will continue to take its normal course and you will end up in court to face the music.

And, if found guilty, you're almost certain to lose all your carefully hoarded points as well.

Traffic officials also stress that the entire system is in a trial-and-error development phase and will be tweaked and fine-tuned continuously as the need arises in the years ahead.

The new demerit system, based on a highly successful Australian model, has been made possible by the introduction of the card-format driver's licences which enable traffic authorities to store the record of every driver.

Demerits will be rated according to a unit scale.

For example, if a motorist is found with an unregistered vehicle, he will be docked two demerit points from his 12 points and get 10 penalty units which means a fine of R500.

Not having your driver's licence with you also costs two demerits and a R500 fine.

If you are caught not wearing a seatbelt, you will get one demerit and pay a R250 fine.

Traffic infringements that will cost drivers three demerits include not stopping at a stop sign and overloading by more than 25 percent.

Overloaders will be penalised by 25 penalty units - a fine of R1 250.

Those caught speeding repeatedly will be especially hit with hefty fines and demerits.
· If you are caught doing up to 20 percent over the speed limit, you will get a fine of R250, but no demerit points - for example speeding up to 72km/h in a 60km/h zone or up to 144km/h in a 120km/h zone.
· If you are 21 percent to 30 percent over the speed limit you will get one demerit point and a R500 fine - for example travelling up to 78km/h in a 60km/h zone or up to 156km/h in a 120km/h zone.
· If you are 31 percent to 45 percent over the speed limit you get two demerit points and a R750 fine - for example up to 87km/h in a 60km/h zone or 174km/h in a 120km/h zone.
· If you are 46 percent to 60 percent over the speed limit you are docked three demerit points and fined R1 250 - for example doing up to 96km/h in a 60km/h zone or up to 192km/h in a 120km/h zone.
· Doing more than 60 percent over the limit will mean the driver will go straight to court where the magistrate will determine the fine - and four demerit points will be deducted.

Motorists who have not converted to the new card format have already lost their licences and will have to be re-tested if they want to drive again.

"Ouch"!!!!!