NSW Government Uncovers Licence Points Black Market, Parents Taking Fall For Young Drivers

THE NEW SOUTH WALES State Debt Recovery Office is investigating drivers suspected of selling demerit points, often to other family members, according to a News Ltd report today.

Speaking with The Daily Telegraph, a SDRO representative said that over 550 cases had been investigated since July 2009, with 152 people withdrawing their declaration upon being advised of the investigation.

Over 700 declarations had been received in the same period from drivers under 23 nominating parents or other family members. A total of 25 of those nominations have so far been referred to police for investigation under suspicion of being deliberate attempts to avoid a fine and a loss of points.

The SDRO has issued 27 fines since late last year to drivers found to have made a false declaration. False nominations and declarations are determined by matching data across government databases, as well as investigating cases where a young driver has nominated an older driver.

In the case of motorists selling licence points, the SDRO investigates instances where the same person has been nominated multiple times by different licence holders.

The maximum fine for fraudulently accepting responsibility for a driving offence in New South Wales is $5500.