Demerit points for first licence suspension cut from 24 to 18; suspension periods extended

Road safety in Singapore has deteriorated, with the number of fatalities in 2025 hitting a 10-year high.

SINGAPORE: The maximum number of points a motorist can accumulate before their licence is suspended for the first time will be lowered from 24 points in two years to 18 points in the same period from Jan 1, 2027.

As part of a road safety push, suspension periods will also increase, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Friday (Jul 31).

Changes to the Driver Improvement Points System (DIPS), more commonly known as the demerit points system, are intended to deter traffic violations and keep errant motorists off the roads for longer periods, the police added.

Road safety in Singapore has deteriorated, with the number of road fatalities increasing to 149 in 2025 from 142 in 2024, hitting a 10-year high. The number of injured people also rose by 6.6 per cent to 9,955 in 2025.

Under the revised system, the threshold of 18 demerit points in 24 months will also apply for subsequent suspensions.

Currently, any motorist who has been suspended once can accumulate 12 points in 12 months before he or she is suspended again.

The police also said that with the revised suspension threshold, there was "no practical need" to award more than 18 demerit points for any offence.

Accordingly, offences that currently carry 24 demerit points will be revised to 18 demerit points.

Demerit points for common traffic violations

3 points

  • Driver failing to wear a seatbelt or failing to ensure every passenger wears a seatbelt
  • Driver failing to ensure that a passenger below the height of 1.35m is properly secured by an approved child restraint or body-restraining seatbelt
  • Rider failing to wear a helmet or wearing a helmet insecurely
  • Carrying excess pillion or pillion is not sitting astride
  • Disobeying traffic direction of a police officer, employee of authority, or security officer engaged in regulating traffic *
  • Conveying load not properly secured
  • Using tyres with ply or cord carcass exposed
  • Driver failing to fill up every passenger seat in the driver’s cabin, or any additional cabin or enclosed space provided for the carriage of passengers or goods, before carrying any person on the floor of open deck goods vehicle

4 points

  • Failing to give way to oncoming traffic at controlled junction *
  • Failing to give way at an uncontrolled junction, junction, or roundabout *
  • Crossing double white lines or a road divider *
  • Obstructing the flow of traffic
  • Forming up incorrectly when turning left or right *
  • Failing to give way to emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire brigades or police vehicles
  • Driving in a dangerous manner while carrying load

6 points

  • Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by up to 20kmh *
  • Exceeding the road speed limit by up to 20kmh *
  • Driving on the shoulder of expressways
  • Failing to securely tie or attach goods to a goods vehicle to prevent the goods from falling off
  • Offences committed by motorists at a pedestrian crossing *
  • Driving or riding against the flow of traffic as indicated by traffic signs *
  • Carrying passengers on a motor vehicle or trailer in a dangerous manner
  • Reversing unnecessarily on expressways
  • Careless driving endangering life *

8 points

  • Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by more than 20kmh and up to 30kmh *
  • Exceeding the road speed limit by more than 20kmh and up to 30kmh *

9 points

  • Carrying passengers on a goods vehicle in a dangerous manner
  • Careless driving causing hurt *

12 points

  • Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by more than 30kmh and up to 40kmh *
  • Exceeding the road speed limit by more than 30kmh and up to 40kmh *
  • Using mobile communication devices while driving *
  • Failing to conform to traffic light signals *

18 points

  • Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by more than 40kmh and up to 50kmh *
  • Exceeding the road speed limit by more than 40kmh and up to 50kmh *

24 points (this will be adjusted to 18 points)

  • Exceeding the vehicular speed limit by more than 50kmh
  • Exceeding the road speed limit by 51kmh to 60kmh
  • Reckless or dangerous driving

*Motorists who commit specified offences at pedestrian crossings or offences that endanger pedestrian safety at School Zones, Silver Zones or Friendly Zones streets will incur two additional demerit points.

LONGER SUSPENSIONS

The duration of the suspensions will also change. Suspensions are currently tiered based on the number of suspensions.

As part of the changes to the demerit points system, the first suspension period will increase from 12 weeks to four months.

Currently, this suspension period can be reduced to four weeks after the completion of a DIPS retraining course. It may be reduced to a week for non-accident cases.

But under the new system, this will only be reduced to six weeks after the completion of a DIPS retraining course.

The second suspension period will go up from 24 weeks to six months. Currently, motorists can take a DIPS retraining course to reduce this to 12 weeks.

Under the new regime, motorists will not get this option.

From Jan 1, 2027, those facing a third suspension will not be able to drive for two years, up from a year. All subsequent suspensions will be for five years.

The DIPS retraining course is a one-and-a-half day rehabilitative course for motorists whose licences have been suspended. They are required to pass theory and practical tests at the end of the course, after which their suspension periods will be reduced.

From Jan 1, 2027, motorists will have only one opportunity at the first suspension, said the police. The DIPS retraining course and its accompanying reduction in suspension period will no longer be available for second and subsequent suspensions.

"Motorists who persistently pose a risk to road safety will face progressively longer suspension periods to keep them off our roads," the police said.

Those who are suspended for a second time from now until Dec 31, 2026 and have received an offer letter may continue to book their DIPS retraining course to reduce their suspension period.

They have to complete the course within four weeks from the date of offer. The traffic police will not accede to appeals for this course to reduce the suspension period after Jan 1, 2027.

The changes apply to non-probationary motorists – those who have completed their one-year probationary period.

For motorists under probation, the number of demerit points they can accumulate in the one year will drop from 13 to 12 before their licence is revoked.

"This will help shape responsible driving behaviour at an early stage for new motorists," said the police.

ONE-TIME ADJUSTMENT

To ensure motorists are not brought closer to the revised suspension or revocation limits due to changes in the demerit points system, there will be a one-time adjustment of points for all motorists on Jan 1, 2027.

Up to six points will be deducted from their total demerit points accumulated as of Dec 31, 2026. For motorists on probation, one demerit point will be removed.

Where a motorist's demerit point balance is lower than the amount to be deducted, their balance will be set to zero and the remaining points will be applied to any offences committed before Jan 1, 2027. This will not apply for offences committed after that date.

For example, if a motorist has accumulated nine demerit points as of the end of 2026, he or she will be given a one-time deduction of six demerit points on Jan 1, 2027. After the deduction, the motorist will be left with three demerit points.

If a motorist has four demerit points as of the end of this year, the same one-time deduction will apply. Four demerit points will be taken off, leaving him or her with zero points.

The remaining two-point deduction can be applied to offences committed before Jan 1, 2027. For instance, this motorist receives 12 points for running a red light in December 2026. If the notice of offence comes in the following month, the motorist will have 10 points - after the two-point deduction.

Similarly, if a motorist has no demerit points by the end of this year, the six-point deduction can be applied for offences committed before Jan 1, 2027.

The fines for the relevant offences remain payable and are unaffected by this adjustment, said the police.

SAFE DRIVING COURSE TO CEASE

The police also said on Friday that the safe driving course will be discontinued.

The course provides corrective education to motorists before they are suspended, and participants attend a three-and-a-half-hour session in a classroom, which includes quizzes, as well as a 50-minute practical session.

Once completed, four demerit points will be removed from the participants' driving record.

Both the safe driving course and DIPS retraining course are voluntary, and eligible motorists will be notified by the traffic police that they can register for these sessions.

A review of data from 2023 to 2025 found that the take-up rate for the safe driving course has been low, and only 15 per cent of those offered the course last year had taken it up.

"Its impact on improving driving behaviour is also minimal, considering the difference in reoffending rates between safe driving course and non-safe driving course takers is marginal," said SPF.

TP will cease offers for the safe driving course from Aug 1 this year and discontinue the course from Jan 1, 2027. Motorists who have received offer letters for the course must complete it by Dec 31, 2026.

Separately, the current incentives for good driving and riding behaviours remain unchanged.

Motorists who do not commit any traffic offences within 12 months from the date of their last traffic offence will have their previous demerit points removed from record.

If no traffic offences are committed within 24 months from the end of their suspension or from the start date of their new licence - if the licence was invalidated - previous driving suspensions will also be removed from the record.

Those who have no demerit points for a continuous period of at least three years will be eligible for a certificate of merit, which allows a discount when renewing their insurance policy with participating insurance companies, subject to their terms.

Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann said: "With road fatalities reaching a 10-year high, it is clear that we must do more to improve road safety. We hope that the revised DIPS, which lowers the threshold for suspension and revocation, will further deter motorists from unsafe driving."

In revising the system, the Ministry of Home Affairs was mindful of vocational drivers' potential concerns about the impact on their livelihoods and consulted transport union leaders, she said.

"Arising from their feedback, we have decided to provide for a one-time deduction of demerit points, to ensure that motorists are not subject to suspension or revocation simply as a result of the new rules coming into effect," she added.

"We urge every motorist to reset their driving habits and mindset ahead of the new DIPS coming into effect on Jan 1, 2027, and also urge all road users – not just motorists – to obey traffic rules for everyone's safety and well-being."

Members of Parliament are set to discuss proposed amendments to traffic laws at the next sitting in August. This includes stiffer penalties for dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, lower drink-driving limits and making it an offence to hold mobile phones while driving.