Mum loses her license after racking up 34 demerit points
A woman has lost her licence after being slapped with a whopping 34 demerit points in Sydney’s west.
Police said they saw the woman using her mobile phone while negotiating a roundabout in the main street of Katoomba on Friday about 2pm.
It’s further alleged none of her passengers - three children and a man - were wearing seatbelts.
She was issued five penalty notices (one for the mobile phone and four for the unrestrained passengers) for a total of $1793 in fines and 34 demerits points.
Incurring 20 or more demerit points on an unrestricted licence in NSW is a five-month suspension. The hefty penalty also comes as Australia tightens laws on drivers using phones while behind the wheel.
In an unrelated incident, a 50-year-old man was pulled over in Wollongong’s north on Friday at 12.30pm by police who discovered he was driving with a licence disqualified until 2022.
He was issued with fines for driving while disqualified, and driving while unregistered and uninsured.
Double demerits in Australia: What you need to know – so you're not caught out
Slapped with a traffic fine? Here's what you can do about it
The 50-year-old was stopped about 40 minutes later and handed a Future Court Attendance Notice for the same offences.
A number of people have been hit with large penalties during the double demerit period.
On Christmas Day, a driver on his provisional licence was slapped with 20 demerit points in Moree.
Police discovered he had three kids in the car not wearing seatbelts and claim he offered an excuse which didn’t satisfy them.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
