Possible ban for young drivers on Friday and Saturday nights

[TVR-190]

YOUNG drivers could soon be banned from driving late on Friday and Saturday nights, after the RTA agreed to look into a recommendation by the auditor-general.

A report today into young drivers found that deaths had halved during the past decade, following the introduction of a three-stage graduated licensing system.

But to further reduce the toll, NSW Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat wants P1 provisional licence holders to be banned from driving between 11pm and 5am on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Audit Office of NSW also wants the policy implemented by the end of June 2012, with the possibility of imposing a curfew at other times.

"The high level of crashes of young people at night could be a combination of factors including lack of adult supervision, lower visibility, fatigue, increased independence and risk taking,'' the report said.
Young drivers

The RTA responded to the report, saying the high level of crashes of young people at night could be a combination of factors including lack of adult supervision, lower visibility, fatigue, increased independence and risk taking.

"The RTA will investigate the road safety benefits of introducing a night-time 'curfew' driving restriction and will consider the social, economic, transport and road safety impacts of the proposed changes," said outgoing RTA chief executive Michael Bushby.

"Consideration will also be given to community acceptance, social equity issues of mobility and access and compliance and effectiveness.''

The has Auditor General made a number of recommendations for L and P drivers, and young drivers in general.

They are:

For learner drivers:

1. determine if the current requirement for a minimum of 120 hours of supervised practical experience for learner drivers remains appropriate by 30 June 2012.

2. increase attendance at educational workshops for learner driver supervisors through an expanded program, and improved communication and advertising initiatives by December 2011.

3. provide additional support to learner drivers in low socio-economic status communities and remote areas including subsidised professional instruction, and access to volunteer mentors and suitable vehicles by 30 June 2013.

4. review the current speed restriction for learner drivers, with a view to increasing it to 90km/h after six months of the learner licence period to ease the transition to unsupervised driving by 30 June 2012.

5. investigate variations in licence test pass rates between testing centres and, by 30 June 2013, address contributing factors within its control by December 2012.

For provisional licence drivers:

6. consider introducing a night-time `curfew' driving restriction for P1 drivers between 11pm and 5am on Friday and Saturday evenings, and investigating the benefits of a similar curfew at other times by 30 June 2012.

7. consider extending the current passenger restriction for P1 drivers so that they can carry no more than one peer passenger at any time by 30 June 2012.

8. commencing immediately, to enable young drivers improved access to safer second-hand vehicles, the RTA should strongly advocate for all NSW Government agencies to only purchase light passenger vehicles with a five star ANCAP rating and light commercial vehicles with the best available ANCAP rating and specified safety features, including Electronic Stability Control and head protecting airbags.

9. consider adding further safe driving elements to the Driver Knowledge, Hazard Perception and Driver Qualification Tests to better safeguard against unsafe driving by 30 June 2012,

To further reduce risk-taking among young drivers:

10. investigate options to further strengthen sanctions for serious and repeat offenders by 30 June 2012.

11. research the feasibility of using psychological testing for novice drivers, particularly in respect of serious and repeat offenders by 31 December 2012.
look at ways of encouraging safer driving behaviour in country areas through:

by 30 June 2012, directing increased resources to speed and alcohol enforcement in regional and remote areas at times of high risk for young drivers

by 31 March 2012, enhancing and extending speed enforcement activity in regional areas on light passenger and light commercial vehicles through use of point to point camera technology and mobile units

by 30 June 2012, address the dangers of alcohol, speeding, fatigue and not wearing a seat-belt through increased education/advertising campaigns in country areas

How much stupider can the government get.....

[Reaper]

Meh - I'm all for banning licenses to anybody under the age of 25. That'll cut down the traffic on the roads

Reaper

[TVR-190]

And anybody over 50 while your at it since they are all blind?

[vyseriesII]

I reckon just make double fines to p platers if your caught doing stupid shit between those times

[HamaTime™]

That article made me ####ing angry.

More ####ing 'band aid' attempts to fix problems.

####ing retarded politicians who are too blind to really understand and try and fix the problem.

This country's going down the ####ing drain.

####ing end rant

[[SS 098]]

Nothing new, WA has this already for red p platers, every night not just on friday and saturday. All it caused me to do is stay up all night and drive home tired at 5am. Pointless.

[HamaTime™]

On a serious note, these types of problems will not be fixed with banning style rules. Have P plater crash statistics gone down since they banned turbo vehicles and V8's in VIC?
I doubt it. Have P platers gotten better at driving by doing 120 hours? I doubt it.

The problem is the psyche of our youths, the general hatred of any motorist to any other motorist because everyone on the road to a driver is treated as a moron, or either Indian or Asian (enough said) so that increases the 'dangers' on the road.

We need Germany's driver education system, more driver ed, etc etc etc - all the things we've all said before which the government haven't implemented. Because the cost is too great and also it will take a massive chunk of revenue out of their pocket.

Yes there is a problem. The government is not taking the appropriate action to fix it. When will they wake up!!!?

[rk has a vn]

If they bring this in people will just drive though it anyway or drop their plates
U have a licence to drive on the road and u pay to drive on the roads
Y can we not drive on the roads when we want to we can go out Thursday nights instead

[S.T.K.E]

storm in a tea cup

It won't make it past this

and will consider the social, economic, transport and road safety impacts of the proposed changes

[the_trademarc]

On a serious note, these types of problems will not be fixed with banning style rules. Have P plater crash statistics gone down since they banned turbo vehicles and V8's in VIC?
I doubt it. Have P platers gotten better at driving by doing 120 hours? I doubt it.

The problem is the psyche of our youths, the general hatred of any motorist to any other motorist because everyone on the road to a driver is treated as a moron, or either Indian or Asian (enough said) so that increases the 'dangers' on the road.

We need Germany's driver education system, more driver ed, etc etc etc - all the things we've all said before which the government haven't implemented. Because the cost is too great and also it will take a massive chunk of revenue out of their pocket.

Yes there is a problem. The government is not taking the appropriate action to fix it. When will they wake up!!!?

The issue is also the police themselves don't know all the rules 100%.....I got pulled over for doing 106 on the freeway, fair enough, I copped it and all and whatever. But having a chat to the officer, who was a good bloke, I said to him, the bloke that was next to me, doing 100 in the far right lane, why didn't you pull him over, because, according to VicRoads, failure to keep left is a 2-demerit point penalty, whereas being over the limit by under 10km/h is 1 demerit point.
He said he wasn't sure that was correct. Pulled out the VicRoads brochure that I have in my glovebox and showed him and he was like- I didn't know that.

So when they cops themselves are educated only to find the easiest route to make money, well what hope does the common shithouse driver have to knowing the rules?

[Jecs]

That article made me ####ing angry.

More ####ing 'band aid' attempts to fix problems.

####ing retarded politicians who are too blind to really understand and try and fix the problem.

This country's going down the ####ing drain.

####ing end rant

[HamaTime™]

HAHAHAHAHAA

Brick's about to go ape over Veronica Corningstone's butt!

[monkeys437]

There was talk of curfews for Vic P-platers years ago when I was on P's. I would have been screwed if it came in because the proposed curfew times on the weekends cut right into my traveling times to work. It wasn't just me all the young guys at work were sh1tting themselves wondering how the hell they were gonna get to work. Its a pretty ridiculous law that states you can drive to work but not home because it's too late. Good thing it never came in because it's blatant stupidity.

[PaRaDoX]

we should go back to riding horses...

[Jecs]

does that mean cheaper rego for younger drivers cause they arent on the road as much?

pfft naaaa prob bump it up lol

[minux]

That article made me ####ing angry.

More ####ing 'band aid' attempts to fix problems.

####ing retarded politicians who are too blind to really understand and try and fix the problem.

This country's going down the ####ing drain.

####ing end rant

If dipshits stopped writing themselves off in record numbers they wouldn't need bullshit laws. I find it amazing that the only thing that seems to have changed with younger kids in the last 20 or so years is the mentality and attitude of people. The problem is not the government or roads or anything else it is the people themselves.

It seems no matter what you tell some young people they just seem they are more invincible. If they weren't writing other people off I'd encourage them to drive stupidly in the hope they would take themselves out.

[the_trademarc]

If dipshits stopped writing themselves off in record numbers they wouldn't need bullshit laws. I find it amazing that the only thing that seems to have changed with younger kids in the last 20 or so years is the mentality and attitude of people. The problem is not the government or roads or anything else it is the people themselves.

It seems no matter what you tell some young people they just seem they are more invincible. If they weren't writing other people off I'd encourage them to drive stupidly in the hope they would take themselves out.

Yeah but where did the mentality come from?? Fast 5? The Transporter?

No it came from the fact that the government is TOO lenient on drivers who do the wrong thing, and it is WAY TOO easy for a simpleton to get their license.

As a result, you get anarchy. The blame does not lie entirely with the youth- in fact, I see more older people (your age) doing just as much stupid shit as P plater's do, but the only reason it looks like it's worse is because of the P Plate. Nothing else.

[HamaTime™]

If dipshits stopped writing themselves off in record numbers they wouldn't need bullshit laws. I find it amazing that the only thing that seems to have changed with younger kids in the last 20 or so years is the mentality and attitude of people. The problem is not the government or roads or anything else it is the people themselves.

It seems no matter what you tell some young people they just seem they are more invincible. If they weren't writing other people off I'd encourage them to drive stupidly in the hope they would take themselves out.

Minux you are 100% correct. That is the 'problem' I was referring to, that youths today seem to think that they are invincible and that the road is their playground, with no respect for other road users etc etc.

The band aid fix I was referring to is exactly what the OP's article said, a curfew on younger drivers. Now yes, that might get a few kids off the road, but accidents will still happen, kids will still break the rules.

The problem needs to be fixed at the root cause of what causes these kids to behave like they do.

I could write a page and essays of opinions on this subject, and from what I have experienced with a number of 'friends/acquaintances' who fall directly into this category, but here are a couple of thought provoking root causes for behavior that I guess essentially says 'look at me, I want attention because where I should have got attention, I didn't get it':

1. Parents have neglected their kids, or failed to teach them appropriate discipline in life
1.5 Both parents at work? Kids not raised by their parents?
2. Kids that have been brought up well and had the 'wrong' group of friends who have through peer pressure made them think that that is what is 'cool' and what you need to do to be a 'cool youth'
3. That small 0.000000000001% of kids that really are just plain Daredevils irrespective of upbringing
4. Our alcoholic society

...list goes on

[ozz]

I remember when they were talking about bringing in the passanger restrictions in vic, and i was saying they'd never do it, they have to have a little bit of common sense. Apparently not. I wouldnt be suprised if they bring this in, it fails/makes things even worse, but stays in effect despite blatant faliure. Just like the rest of these nanny laws

[VS_Pete_1]

And anybody over 50 while your at it since they are all blind?

I`m over 50 and went on the run on sunday QLD and nobody complained about my driving.
And it wasn`t a slow run.
That is all.
You better tell your Dad and Mum to get off the road.
And make sure your around to drive them where they want to go.
And wipe their ass when they have shit them selfs.
Like they did for you.

Better still put them down.

[ToMMMaY]

The joys of having your full licence.

Still makes me angry reading the stupid ideas they come up with tho.

[<RaBBiT>]

i have a 12 am to 5am curfew as i lost my licence very frustrating rule, can't go to party, pick up gf or friends from the city, it ruins ur social life , and im a chef so im a night person stupid, only lost mine for 10k over speed limit and im 22

[scouser king]

we should go back to riding horses...

If you can bolt on supercharger or turbo to the horse I'm all for it lol

[rx2_freak]

they should ban them from getting licenses full stop.

[VL_5SPEED]

What about the p platers what have jobs in hospitality???