MORE than 30,000 drivers in Lake Macquarie have had a demerit point scrubbed from their license for keeping a spotless record during the first year of a trial rewarding safe driving.
Data from the state government's demerit point return trial shows that motorists on the Central Coast benefited most from the scheme during 2023, with nearly 55,000 drivers receiving demerit point relief.
Lake Macquarie is eighth on the list of local government areas, with 33,815 motorists having a demerit point wiped from their record due to remaining offence free during the first 12 months of the trial.
Ministers for Roads John Graham said more than 1.2 million drivers qualified for the demerit point reward for maintaining a spotless record during the initial 12-month period up to January 16, 2024.
"The reward of a demerit point removed is most valuable in areas where people depend on their car to get to work and to get their families around like in western Sydney, the Central Coast and our regional areas," Mr Graham said.
"If you drive for a living then the reward for safe driving could be the difference between ongoing employment and losing your livelihood.
"People are used to the stick of enforcement and double demerits but this is the carrot of reward for good behaviour.
"Every demerit point wiped from a licence under this trial is the result of a full 12 months of safe driving by a motorist on NSW roads.
"This is what we need at a time when fatalities on our roads have been rising just as they are in all other states and territories."
Anyone with a NSW unrestricted licence and a demerit point on their record has another opportunity to have a point scrubbed if they remain offence-free between January 17, 2024 and January 16, 2025.
