Penalty points driver system still on hold
18 years later and South Africa is still no closer to points demerit system implementation
THE Automobile Association (AA) on Friday roundly condemned failure of authorities to implement the long-awaited AARTO (Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences) system.
Among others, AARTO would provide for a points demerit system which punishes repeated violations by suspending or cancelling a motorist’s driving licence.
It would also separate an ‘infringement’ as a traffic violation which can be dealt with administratively (such as speeding or talking on your cellphone while driving), as opposed to a criminal offence such as drunk driving, which requires a court appearance.
‘Since 1998 a lot of time, effort, and money has gone into developing and implementing AARTO.
‘Despite this, we still don’t have a workable system, which is lamentable,’ the AA noted.
‘A key objective for the implementation of AARTO was to effect behavioural change among drivers to curb the growing number of deaths on our roads.
‘According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), approximately 13 000 people died on the country’s roads last year alone.
‘We believe that action needs to be taken sooner, rather than later to deal with this crisis.
‘However, the implementation of this system has again been delayed – a delay that is doing more harm than good.’
Points system
Originally the system was to be implemented in 2011.
A new date of April 2012 was suggested, but again this was delayed and a revised date of April 2016 has also come and gone.
The Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) was created specifically to roll out and administer AARTO.
According to the RTIA, the system will mean drivers accumulate points for infringements they commit.
Every person starts with 0 points, and the maximum permissible number of points is 12, hence a person is allowed to drive until he/she has 12 points.
Every point exceeding 12 results in a three-month suspension of the licence.
One point is reduced every three months if no further contraventions occur.
A licence is cancelled when it has been suspended for the third time.
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