Is the 'Learn and Reduce Points' Program for Adding or Deducting Points?

[ReedAnn]

The 'Learn and Reduce Points' program is for deducting points. According to Article 5 of the Notice issued by the Ministry of Public Security on January 14, 2020, titled 'Regulations on Reducing Points for Road Traffic Safety Violations Through Accepting Traffic Safety Education (Trial)' (Public Traffic Management [2020] No. 14): Motor vehicle drivers who apply to participate in the program to reduce points for traffic violations must participate in corresponding road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge learning, exams, or traffic safety public welfare activities according to their highest permitted driving license type and meet the relevant requirements to apply for a reduction in traffic violation points. The 'Learn and Reduce Points' program is a measure for drivers holding a driving 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 program is a convenient measure for traffic management uniformly deployed by the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security. Function: The 'Learn and Reduce Points' program is for reducing existing points on a driving license, not for adding points or replacing penalty points. The points obtained for free through this program are used to clear penalty records. For example, if a violation results in a 6-point deduction, passing the 'Learn and Reduce Points' exam can clear these 6 points, allowing the driver to start anew. Regulations: The number of points that can be deducted after participating in the 'Learn and Reduce Points' program depends on how many points the driver had before participating, but the cumulative points cannot exceed 11. Whether participating in the program or not, a driving license only has 12 points. The program can only reduce existing points on the license, not increase the total points to 18. Specific considerations are as follows: Applicable individuals: Motor vehicle drivers with a driving license from the People's Republic of China, regardless of the permitted driving license type or whether they are commercial vehicle drivers, can participate in the 'Learn and Reduce Points' program. They must participate in corresponding road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge learning and exams according to their highest permitted driving license type. 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 allows them to reduce 1 point. Drivers can also participate in on-site learning, with each session lasting no less than 1 hour. After completing the required study time, they can apply for an exam. Passing the exam allows them to reduce 2 points. Drivers can also participate in offline traffic safety public welfare activities, with each session lasting 1 hour, allowing them to reduce 1 point per session. Accumulating 30 minutes of study time within 3 days, with each study session lasting no less than 5 minutes, and passing the exam, allows a reduction of 1 point. The maximum points that can be reduced in one scoring cycle is 6. Cases not accepted: The following situations will not be accepted: In the previous scoring cycle, the driver had two or more instances of full-point penalties. Within a 3-point cycle, the driver was involved in hit-and-run accidents, drunk driving, or the manufacture or alteration of documents or license plates. The motor vehicle driving license is in the probation period or has not been reviewed as required. The driver has unresolved traffic violation records under their name. The driver has motor vehicles under their name with expired safety technical inspections or those not deregistered as required. The driver has already reduced the maximum of 6 points in the current cycle.

[StBrandon]

I've been driving for over a decade and just used the 'Score Reduction Through Learning' program. It essentially reduces your penalty points. For example, if you previously had 6 points deducted, after completing traffic regulation study and passing the exam, the traffic authorities will reduce some points for you. It doesn't add extra points to your license because the total is capped at 12 points, so adding points is impossible. The benefit is that it gives us a chance to rectify mistakes, relearn traffic rules, and improve safety awareness. Personally, I studied 3 hours of videos on the 12123 App, passed the test, and got 2 points reduced - much easier than retaking the entire Subject 1 exam.

[VonLayla]

As a novice driver who just got my license, I've specifically studied the 'score reduction through learning' policy. Simply put, it means learning traffic knowledge through official channels and then taking an exam to reduce existing demerit points, rather than adding points. Think about it - a driver's license only has 12 points in total. After receiving demerits, this legal method allows you to reduce some of those points, effectively lessening the penalty. The policy's original intention is to encourage drivers to proactively study traffic regulations and reduce traffic violation rates. In practice, after studying for 30 minutes on the 12123 App, you can apply for the exam. Each successful attempt can reduce up to 1 point, with a maximum reduction of 6 points per scoring cycle.

[Debra]

As a long-haul truck driver who frequently travels long distances, the 'Study to Reduce Points' policy is a tangible point reduction measure. After receiving penalty points for traffic violations, spending some time watching educational videos on traffic regulations via the traffic management platform and passing the exam allows you to apply for point reduction. This process doesn't increase your driver's license point limit but rather deducts a portion of the already accumulated penalty points. Each point reduction is based on your existing penalty points. Those in the transportation industry know this policy is particularly practical—it helps us keep our jobs while reinforcing safety awareness.

[PhoebeRose]

As a driving instructor, I often explain the mechanism of 'score reduction through learning' to my students. It is purely a deduction operation and has nothing to do with adding points. After students receive penalty points for traffic violations, they can participate in traffic safety education organized by public security authorities. Upon passing the exam, they can have their existing penalty points reduced. The principle is to replace part of the punishment with education, giving drivers a chance to reform. For example, if you were deducted 4 points, you could have 2 points waived after completing the study. The entire process is completed under the supervision of traffic police to ensure fairness. This policy is particularly friendly to novice drivers, helping them avoid the hassle of retaking the test after losing all 12 points.

[Archer]

From the perspective of traffic safety education, the 'Study to Reduce Points' initiative is a point deduction mitigation measure, not an additional point reward. When we have traffic violation points recorded, participating in officially organized knowledge learning and passing the exam allows us to apply for a reduction in existing points. The total 12-point limit of the driver's license remains unchanged; what's reduced are the already deducted points. This policy is thoughtfully designed to both hold drivers accountable for violations and provide opportunities for learning and improvement. At community traffic safety lectures, I've seen many drivers utilize this program, with widespread feedback that this approach carries more educational value than simple fines or point deductions alone.