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Many countries have adopted a penalty point or demerit point system under which a person’s driving license is revoked or suspended based on the number of points they’ve accumulated over a specific period of time. Points are given for traffic offenses or infringements committed by them in that period. The demerit points schemes of each jurisdiction varies. These demerit schemes are usually in addition to fines or other penalties which may be imposed for a particular offence or infringement, or after a prescribed number of points have been accumulated.
Under these schemes a driver licensing authority, police force, or other organization keeps a record of the demerit points accumulated by drivers. When the prescribed point threshold is reached, the person’s license would usually be automatically revoked or suspended. Points may either be added or subtracted, depending on the rules of each scheme. A major offence may lead to more than the maximum allowed points being issued. Points are typically applied after a driving offense has been committed and the license is revoked for a defined time, or after other conditions are met. If the total exceeds the threshold, the offender may be disqualified from driving for a time, or the driving license may be revoked. After the license suspension period has expired, the previous demerit points are cancelled.
The primary purpose of such point systems is to identify, determine, and penalize repeat traffic offenders, while streamlining the legal process.