Easter 2024 double demerits: When and where do they apply?

Christmas feels like it was just yesterday as we pull into an early Easter long weekend – and, as always, families are gearing up for some time away.

If that includes you, or even if it doesn’t, it’s more important than ever to be wary of busy roads as people get to hurrying towards their relaxing time away.

Check out our story above for tips on keeping your cool on that long drive, but if you do get pinged, below are the sorts of penalties you can expect around Australia.

NSW, ACT and Western Australia

Double demerits – for speeding, mobile phone use, seatbelt offences and riding without a helmet – will be in force from Thursday March 28 to Monday April 1 – no foolin’.

The bill won’t be any bigger in most cases, but a double tap to your points could be enough to take you off the road for a while.

Queensland

The sunshine state won’t be running any Easter-specific points or fines, but…

If you’re not local, it’s worth noting that Queensland has a year-round double demerits system that applies to any second-time offenders in any 12-month period.

Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, NT

Victoria, despite being popularly known as a ‘police state’, doesn’t run a double demerits program – and neither do South Australia, Tasmania or the Northern Territory.

That doesn’t mean the police in those regions won’t be out in force, of course. And, as Victorian off-roading enthusiasts learned in 2022, we might see a blitz or two.