Drivers in Australia are increasingly turning to a black market to buy and sell demerit points, engaging in a practice to avoid losing their licenses. Online advertisements reveal a network where individuals offer cash to strangers willing to falsely admit to traffic violations.
Many of those offering to take the blame are drivers on international licenses. Because these individuals do not hold a license issued by the Australian state where the offense occurred, they can typically pay the fine without accumulating demerit points. Drivers nearing license suspension then pay these individuals to falsely accept responsibility for the infraction. Once the fine is settled, the demerit points are not recorded against the actual offender, thus preventing a license suspension.
Searches online have uncovered numerous active groups where drivers openly advertise cash payments in exchange for demerit points. One anonymous poster sought someone to take three demerit points for a seatbelt violation, offering $100 per point. Other advertisements explicitly offer to sell spare demerit points to motorists facing suspension, indicating the expanding scale of this illicit market.
One man reported paying $1,200 to another person to accept three demerit points, thereby avoiding a license suspension. Advertisements on platforms like Facebook have showcased people offering cash to strangers to falsely claim they were driving when a traffic offense occurred. One page even presents a tiered pricing structure, charging between $200 and $600 depending on the number of demerit points, with a "no payment until it's done" guarantee.
While it is not illegal for a registered vehicle owner to transfer demerit point penalties to another driver if that person was indeed driving, it is an offense to falsely nominate another person for a driving offense or to knowingly accept responsibility for an offense one did not commit. Individuals found guilty of such offenses can face substantial fines and potential driving disqualifications. In New South Wales, the fine for an individual falsely nominating another driver is AUD $723, with a maximum penalty of AUD $11,000 if convicted in court. Corporations engaging in this practice can be fined AUD $1,528, with a maximum court-convicted fine of AUD $22,000. Fully licensed Australian drivers can accumulate up to 13 demerit points before their license is suspended.