NEW laws to be introduced in the Assembly this week will make it harder for drivers to trick the system out of claiming demerit points for traffic offences.

Attorney General Simon Corbell said: “This issue of people putting forward false or misleading infringement declarations is a known problem in all jurisdictions and this legislation will see it addressed here in the ACT.

“A particular problem with false or misleading declarations has been identified where corporations fail to identify the driver of corporately registered vehicles involved in traffic offences and this new law will address this issue.

“This is about strengthening the powers of the administering authority for infringement notices to obtain information from people who make infringement notice declarations, and to deem where accurate or misleading statements have been made.”

The amendments mean that those  responsible for a vehicle will be required to take all reasonable steps to assist the authority to identify and locate the person who was in possession or control of the vehicle when the offence was committed.

If the person responsible fails on two or more occasion to provide the driver’s details, the road transport authority will suspend the vehicle’s registration, or another of the corporation’s vehicles, for up to six months until the information is provided.

Other amendments include, the provision for additional time to pay a penalty.

“The inclusion of this provision in the Bill recognises that people may have special circumstances that prevent them from responding within the normal 28 day period, including illness, absence interstate or other personal circumstances,” Mr Corbell said.