Vic: New P-plate laws to ’save young lives’
Posted by admin on 06/23/06 in Traffic Safety Issues
The Age: New P-plate laws to ’save young lives’
For more information: Arrive Alive: 120 Hours
Probationary drivers will be banned from driving high-powered vehicles and making mobile calls while driving under tough new laws set to be introduced next year. Those found drink-driving will be forced to have alcohol interlock devices — which require a driver to pass a breath test before allowing a car to start — installed in their car. Under the changes, outlined by Transport Minister Peter Batchelor yesterday, a new licensing scheme will increase the time drivers spend on P-plates by a year.
In a two-tiered system similar to that in NSW, P-platers will first be awarded a P1 licence (red P-plates). They must then display a good driving record for a year before progressing to a P2 licence (green P-plates). Learner drivers under the age of 21 will be required to clock up 120 hours of supervised driving and hold their learner’s permit for 12 months, an increase from the present six-month requirement.
The dramatic overhaul comes after the State Government’s August 2005 discussion paper, which received more than 800 submissions on ways to reduce the high number of deaths and injuries on Victorian roads involving young drivers. Young drivers are over-represented when it comes to deaths and serious injuries on Victoria’s roads. In 2004, 27 per cent of drivers killed were aged between 18 and 25, yet this group represents only 14 per cent of Victorian licence holders.
Within the past five years, 111 people aged between 16 and 20 have died in traffic accidents, accounting for 12 per cent of the total of 867. Of those, 45 died between 10pm and 6am. The number of people aged between 16 and 20 that were seriously injured on the roads in that same period is 2150.
Research shows that the more practice a learner driver gets, the lower the risk of being involved in a crash once they are licensed. Premier Steve Bracks said it was estimated the laws would save at least 12 lives in the first year and reduce the number of injuries by about 800 young people per year. “It will be a life saver,” he said. “Crashes involving young drivers account for a third of our road toll — that is 120 deaths and 2300 serious injuries every year.” The changes to the high-powered vehicle restrictions and the new learner permit requirement will be introduced in July 2007, with the P1/P2 probationary licensing system brought in during July 2008.
However, Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said the Government had missed an opportunity to provide proper driver education. “The Liberals have a policy of paying for three professional lessons for learners,” he said. “That way drivers won’t be taught bad habits over 12 months.”
Victoria Police’s Assistant Commissioner (Traffic) Noel Ashby said he was “delighted” at the new changes. “It builds skills for the future and it will keep people alive in that group,” he said. RACV general manager Ken Ogden welcomed the changes but said they did not go far enough by failing to ban probationary drivers carrying multiple passengers.
- For more information: Arrive Alive: 120 Hours
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Clare Shone | Aug 16, 2007 | Reply
Hi, I’m a year 12 student and have had my P-plates for just on 6 months now. I totally understand the cause for concern on the roads. Despite the new laws becomming a huge inconvenience to most P-plate drivers hopefully this is the right way to go about decreasing risk.
I personally think that installing a device where the car won’t start if the driver has consumed too much alcohol is a great idea - Why stop at P-platers? I’m sure plenty of other (more experienced) drivers assume they are right to drive when they clearly aren’t.
When I was on my learners permit i had three lessons with a professional who taught me so many things that my parents couldn’t because they assumed I knew what they were talking about, e.g. clutch control. If the Liberal Party is offering lessons i think that will be truely valuable especially for those families that may not be able to afford the lessons.
Longer periods for Learners and Probationary drivers doesn’t really appeal to me. I think i learned the most while i have been by myself without other people in the car. Being on P-plates longer will only make the age gap for fatalities and injuries wider. Learners are the last ones anyone wants to be behind on the road and P-platers are seen as hoons and irresponsible as soon as someone sees the White and Red square on the windshield, the label draws peoples attention. I believe that if a H for ‘Hoon’ was placed on a drivers car when they were picked up for reckless driving or A for ‘Alcoholic’ or drink drivers or O for ‘Old Age’ slow drivers that hold up traffic, people on the road would victimise them.
It is fair for the road laws to be changed but I do believe that it would be unfair to look at P-platers and Learner drivers and not consider the rest of the driving population.
Let me know what you think… clare_bear_55@hotmail.com
david briese | Aug 21, 2007 | Reply
hello,
I agree, there needs to be a soluition to p plate deaths, but i dont beleve increseing the lenth of L’s, or P plates will have too much of a effect for the troble it will cause young drivers, e.g. young apprentis and people out of school in a full time job , and really when you think about it more time on Ls would really be a waste of time, being with a parent you dont do “hooning” so maby some form of training area to lern how to do things in a more safe mannor,and when you compleat a corse in lets say drag raceing you can go to a gov funded drag strip to race off the streets, but i doubt the govt will ever pay for something thats a simple solution as that, and theres allways the argument that giveing them the training withh make them think there a pro, and do it more often. well that my little rant if i wasnt such a lazy typer i could go on for hours.
david
Abby | Nov 10, 2007 | Reply
I agree that there needs to be news rules.. But this might not stop deaths in all reality as i believe it will promote more drink driving, as the amount of peer pressure in young teens is great. example you go to a party and half don’t drink and half do.. by the time for people to leave most of the half that weren’t meant to drink will have due to peer pressure or just wanting to drink then they will drink drive and cause more accidents!!
drivig 80 it terrible!! its more dangerous!!
Bonnie-Jane | Nov 19, 2007 | Reply
Hi, I have just completed year 12 this year and have had my Learners since May this year and of course plan to book my P’s soon I hope. My view on “New P-plate laws to ’save young lives’” is completely for it.
There is one thing that strikes me and that is the fact that ‘Why focus on only the young drivers on the roads, (Learners and P-platers) I mean, isn’t this just calling the kettle black? Why focus on such small percentage of the entire drving population, when there are also high risks amongst those who are elderly and disabled.
Now let’s not beat around the bush about this, but it is NOT fair to say “okay let’s have these new laws increased for the young drivers because they are the hoons and the binge drinkers who should be restricted…”
I agree with the new P-plate laws, but there are also some other resources that the government can initiate to allow more ease on young drivers lives.
In early January this year, I took a short driving course over a few days, with METEC. They basically went through all the road laws and uncovering new hints and tips that would ensure us all for a safe driving life and also had driving lessons on a ‘course’ that was built within the complex, which enables us to learn to drive, whilst talking in other factors (such as animals that ‘may’ come running onto the road etc…
One of the topics they had discussed, was about alchole and its afect on yound drivers (anyone really) and I felt that this really opened my mind to the fact that there are people who will say “Yes I’m driving home tonight” when the next minute they find themselves lying in a hospital emergancy area with doctors screaming at them checking if the person is okay(and others are not so lucky) This was extremely insightful, with the added imagery to get an idea of what people look like after they had been silly and made the wrong descisions, and to shock all of us in the room so much, that when asked if you would risk your life just to drive home after a party adn there would not be a single word heard amongst us…
In one lesson during the information sessions, we were asked to put on these pair of goggles that acted the same way as someone who had too much to drink. The goggles made vision impaired, and much harder to see people walking by. I knew straight away, that if these goggles were blocking out those ‘perception’ sences, and dissabeling people from seeing objects passing right by them, this would meen that alchole woud be a huge impairment for drivers, and their perception of cars passing them would be affected.
The course was a great, fun and easy to understand course. I really enjoyed learning to drive a manual car, whilst taking in other factors that would ‘aid’ our perceptual ability to notice dangers on the road etc.
If the government is so willing and ready to change driving laws for young drivers, wouldn’t it be a good if they could hold these courses for free to enable and ensure that not only young drivers, but ALL drivers get insightful information about the causes of on road deaths, how bad it is to mix narcotics with alchole and then drive, and also how high at risk many people are when they decide to drink and drive?
These driving information courses would help to reduce the number of deaths & injuries, not only in young drivers, but also other drivers who make these mistakes which cost them their lives.
-Bonnie
EMMA MONTEITH | Feb 8, 2008 | Reply
In regards to the ‘new’ P-plate laws, i am appauld by the governments idea of descriminating young drivers, just because they are inexperienced. As a soon to be P-platter i can’t wait to start driving and get as many hours experience as possible. but now the government is suggesting the only way i will be a good driver is if i drive with only one person and a curfew to get off the road. how ridiculous!! there are drivers who have been driving for years, and they still get drunk, have car crashes and drag races. is the government going to crack down on them? or are they only victimising the younger drivers because they are inexperienced!!! we all have lifes and different work hours. adults are always ‘harping on’ how we’re not responsible, and now we don’t even get a chance to prove ourselfs worthy of responsibility until we’re 21!!! is it us who should be put under ’survaliance’ or should it be the government?????
Tristan | Feb 25, 2008 | Reply
Hey I don’t really agree with all these laws, because they will bring more cars on to the road. By bringing more cars onto the road there will be more drink driving there will be more crashes and that might lead to a higher death toll. This will also increase the amount of green house gases into our atmosphere.
Turbo engines are more efficient if driven in an appropriate manner. Therefore the laws that prevent these cars from being driven are promoting the use of more inefficient cars.
Jenelle | Mar 18, 2008 | Reply
hi, im currently doing year 11 and we were given an oral presentation on a current issue in the media, i have chosen this subject because i can relate to it and so can my classmates, although it may seem to reduce P-plater related accidents on the W.E. i think it will just put more cars on the road as each one may only haveone passenger and it meens there will need to be more designated drivers. i agree with the laws about the alcohol and a driver under the influence won’t be able to start there car withought a breathtest and as the other person said, why stop at p-platers?
Jarred | Mar 27, 2008 | Reply
These laws are a joke. Why just focus on P-plate drivers, im on my L’s and the number of times that ive seen idiots doing way over the speed limit or cutting other people off have not been P-plate drivers but the so called “responsible and safe” fully licenced drivers. how about slapping some rediculous laws on them aswell. Extending the time spent on P-plates is just gonna make the statistics sound worse as there are going to be more of us out there on the roads and crashing off them. Im sorry but the goverment need to realise that the fatality’s are never gonna reah 0 and that half the deaths in their statistics are from people driving stolen cars and alot of the time driven by people who’s licences are seuspended or they dont even have them. These laws are not going to stop people who are hooning from doing it all it is going to do is piss of p-platers who are doing the right thing and punish them for what others are doing.
And this stupid law they want of limiting 1 peer passenger to a car is even stupider. Whats worse a bloke driving with 4 mates in the car or 3 cars driving and most likely trying to beat each other to where ever there going. Plus it’s going to increase drink driving as the whole designated driver is going to go down the drain and the public transport suks in VIC.
some simple reasons why these laws suck i could go on all day but ive got a life.
Ali Karslioglu | Apr 9, 2008 | Reply
hi im a year 12 student in shepparton high school and i agree with the device thats goin to be put in da cars for drink driving but the new laws on 1 passenger thing i reckon itz goin to be usless more cars on da road meanz more accedintz and itz jst goin to make everything harder !!!
stacey | Apr 22, 2008 | Reply
i think the new law for p platers is a stupid idea. if people recently are just getting there p’s and they have to abide by this situation why not get people who are still on there p’s to re sit the new road tests. and legal drivers, it is extremily unfair. if you are going to do this do it for everyone, not just resents.
Brodie | May 5, 2008 | Reply
i think these laws are just to make people think they’ll be safer on the roads!!!
i’m 18 and go out with my friends most weekends. we always have a designated driver. if these laws are put in place we will see even more deaths and injuries because not only will there be more cars on the road but there will be more people thinking they can drink and risk it. why not target the state as a whole and not just a small percentage??
Darcie | May 13, 2008 | Reply
Has the government even thought through this stupid new rule. It doesnt seem like it. With less people aloud in anothers car, there will be more cars on the road, therefore more chance of accidents. Didnt they think of that. If i cant drive my mates in to the city and bring them home, how will i know they are safe. Saftey is the issue and safety is at risk NO MATTER WHAT! but these rules make no sense.why is it that i cant take my 17 year old friends in my car, but i can take my 15 year old brother. Either way i have a chance of crashing. Why is it ok to drive him but not my mates? I will be 18 soon and i havent done anything wrong, nor do i know anyone who has done something dangerous. So why punish us? We have no chance to live and learn with these rules now in place. What about older people. The elderly who drive are just as dangerous. Stopping and starting, putting thier indicators on the wrong way etc. Why dont they get restrictions?
we may be young, but we have lives. We need to get around just as much as the next person!