You're running behind, the manifest is stacked, and you're doing 68 in a 60 zone without even realising it. Then the flash goes off. Or worse — you get pulled over. A speeding fine as a courier driver is more than just a dollar amount. Depending on your employment status, it can trigger demerit points, a licence review, a conversation with your supervisor, and in some cases, termination. Here's what you need to know.
Who Pays the Fine?
Camera fines (no pull-over): When a speed camera catches a vehicle, the fine is sent to the registered owner — which is usually the fleet company or your employer. Most companies will then nominate you as the driver, transferring both the fine and the demerit points to your licence. Some companies pay the fine but still transfer the points. Either way, the points land on your licence.
Police intercept: If you're pulled over personally, the fine is issued directly to you. The company may or may not find out — but if you lose your licence as a result, they'll find out very quickly.
Contractors: If you're an owner-driver, everything lands on you — the fine, the points, the insurance implications. No ambiguity.
Demerit Points: The Real Danger
The fine itself is painful but survivable. The demerit points are what can end your career. According to Queensland Government demerit points information, accumulating too many demerit points within a set period leads to licence suspension. In Queensland, it's 12 points in a 3-year period for open licence holders. A single speeding offence can cost 1–8 points depending on how far over the limit you were.
For a delivery driver, losing your licence means losing your income. There's no light duties, no desk work, no alternative — if you can't drive, you can't deliver. And a licence suspension stays on your record, making it harder to get hired by other courier companies in the future.
Double demerit periods (public holidays, school holidays in some states) double the points for every offence. A 4-point speeding fine becomes 8 points — two-thirds of your entire allowance gone in one flash.
How to Avoid It
Set a speed limit alert. Most navigation apps (Google Maps, Waze) can show the current speed limit and alert you when you exceed it. Turn this feature on and pay attention to it.
Accept that speeding doesn't save time. Going 70 in a 60 zone over a 5km stretch saves you roughly 30 seconds. That 30 seconds is not worth a $400+ fine and 3 demerit points. On suburban delivery runs with constant stopping, speeding between stops saves almost nothing.
Build time through efficiency, not speed. The drivers who finish earliest aren't the fastest on the road — they're the ones with the best loading systems, the tightest routes, and the smoothest delivery processes. Save time at the stops, not between them.
Watch school zones. School zone speed limits (typically 40km/h) are the most common trap for delivery drivers. The fine is huge, the demerit points are severe, and the zones change based on time of day and school terms. Know where the school zones are on your run and slow down automatically.