Article from: www.thenewspaper.com/news/10/1091.asp

4/24/2006

Australia: Worst Driver in Queensland Keeps License
Driver earns six years worth of driving bans from tickets keeps his license in Queensland, Australia.

Queensland, Australia's worst driver has racked up a surprising number of moving violations without losing his license. Over the past five years, Phillip Charles Mounfield earned 121 driving license demerit points from 75 tickets worth A$10,000 in fines. Under normal circumstances, a driver has his license suspended for three months if 12 points are accumulated within three years. Mounfield's infractions, however, were so numerous and rapid that the system could not keep up.

The twenty-four-year-old motorist has been charged with speeding nineteen times, driving a defective vehicle on eleven occasions, "causing undue noise" twelve times, performing burn-outs three times, careless driving twice and street racing once. He has even been charged with both extremes -- driving at 28 MPH over the limit, and driving significantly under the limit on the freeway. Other accusations include red light running, illegal turns, driving with a cell phone, and allowing a passenger to ride without wearing a seatbelt.

In just five months, he earned 46 demerit points, almost enough for four license suspensions. Instead of enduring a long-term driving ban, Mounfield served the multiple suspensions simultaneously. The Queensland Sunday Mail noticed Mounfield boasting of his activities online and raised the issue with state officials. Premier Peter Beattie said his government would investigate and close the loophole allowing concurrent suspensions.

Source: Our worst hoon (Queensland Sunday Mail (Australia), 4/16/2006)

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