Can traffic violation points be reduced through legal learning?
3 Answers
Any driver's license can be used to reduce points through legal learning, with no restrictions on the type of license or the permitted vehicle categories. According to Article 5 of the "Notice on Issuing the 'Work Regulations for Reducing Points of Road Traffic Safety Violations by Accepting Traffic Safety Education (Trial)'" (Public Traffic Management [2020] No. 14) issued by the Ministry of Public Security on January 14, 2020: Motor vehicle drivers who apply to participate in traffic safety education to reduce points for traffic violations must participate in corresponding road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge learning, examinations, or traffic safety public welfare activities according to their highest permitted vehicle category and meet the relevant requirements to apply for point reduction. Point reduction through legal learning is a measure for drivers holding a driver's license who have been penalized with points due to traffic violations. After participating in online traffic safety learning and passing the exam, their points can be reduced. This is a convenient traffic management measure uniformly deployed by the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. Specific considerations are as follows: Applicable individuals: Motor vehicle drivers holding a driver's license of the People's Republic of China, regardless of the permitted vehicle categories or whether they are commercial vehicle drivers, can participate in point reduction through legal learning. They must participate in corresponding road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge learning and examinations according to their highest permitted vehicle category. Specific rules: Motor vehicle drivers participating in online road traffic laws, regulations, and related content learning must study continuously for 5 minutes each time, accumulating 30 minutes of study time within 3 days. They can then register for an exam within 7 days. Passing the exam will reduce 1 point. Drivers can also attend on-site learning, with each session lasting no less than 1 hour. After completing the required study hours, they can apply for an exam. Passing the exam will reduce 2 points. Cases not accepted: Under any of the following circumstances, the application will not be accepted: In the previous scoring cycle, the driver had two or more records of full points. Within a 3-point cycle, the driver fled the scene of a traffic accident, drove under the influence of alcohol, or engaged in forging or altering documents or license plates. The motor vehicle driver's license is in the probationary period or has not been reviewed as required. The motor vehicle driver has unresolved traffic violation records under their name. The motor vehicle driver has a motor vehicle under their name with a safety technical inspection that has expired or has not been deregistered as required. The driver has already reduced the maximum of 6 points in the current cycle.
I've noticed many car owners are curious about this. Indeed, it's now possible to reduce penalty points through traffic law education. Just download the 'Traffic Management 12123' app, find the 'Study to Reduce Points' entry, watch 30 minutes of traffic safety education videos, and then take a test consisting of common driving knowledge questions. Passing the test will restore 1 point, with a maximum of 6 points deductible per year. However, note that serious violations like drunk driving or drug-impaired driving cannot be offset this way. The system monitors exam status with snapshots, requiring you to answer all questions independently - proxy test-taking will be invalidated immediately. I just helped my neighbor with this process, and he regrets not using it earlier, having unnecessarily lost 2 points last year.
The 'Study to Reduce Points' policy is now available nationwide, which is particularly useful for long-distance drivers. Last time, I accompanied a friend to study traffic regulations on the phone. The 30-minute video was quite practical, covering real-life cases like fatigue driving and emergency handling on highways. After passing the test, he immediately got 1 point deducted, saving him the trouble of going to the DMV to clear points. However, it's important to remind everyone that there's a limit on the number of attempts—if you fail three times, you can't retake the test that month. It's best to find a quiet place to study carefully. Last year, our team's Old Wang failed because he was listening to the video while driving his truck, and the facial recognition didn't pass, wasting his chance.
