Is it acceptable to have one point left on the driver's license?
2 Answers
It is acceptable to have one point left on the driver's license. If the accumulated demerit points on the license do not reach 12 points, the points can be cleared after paying the corresponding traffic violation fines. However, if the demerit points reach 12, the license will be suspended, and the driver will not be allowed to continue driving. To retrieve the license, the driver must attend training and pass an examination. Below is relevant information about driver's license demerit points: Demerit Point Values: Based on the severity of the traffic violation, the demerit points for a single offense can be categorized into five levels: 12 points, 6 points, 3 points, 2 points, and 1 point. Method of Demerit Points: Article 66 states that for any traffic violation committed by a motor vehicle driver, both penalties and demerit points will be imposed simultaneously. If a driver commits two or more violations at once, the demerit points for each violation will be calculated separately and then accumulated.
I just went through this! Last year, I struggled for three months with only 1 point left on my driver's license. Honestly, it was extremely stressful—driving felt like carrying a time bomb, and I would signal ten seconds early before changing lanes. However, traffic regulations clearly state that your license is only suspended after all 12 points are deducted, so driving with 1 point left is still legal. But you absolutely must not violate any more rules—running a red light, for instance, deducts 6 points and would immediately max out your points, forcing you into a traffic school to retake the written test. A colleague of mine got penalized for not yielding to pedestrians at a crosswalk and lost 3 points, wasting seven days back at driving school. I recommend installing the traffic management app "12123" to check your points anytime. If you're really nervous, you can also take a traffic safety course to earn back points—watching a traffic safety video, for example, can add 1 point in an emergency.
