New laws reduce road toll
Wed 25 June 2008
Kaihla Groundwater, Journalism
Almost one year after the introduction of new laws to protect young Queensland motorists, the state’s road toll is decreasing despite initial scepticism.
During 2007, the same year in which the new laws were introduced, 80 deaths of 17 to 24-year-olds occurred on Queensland roads. This was four less than in 2006 and five less that the 2002-06 average.
The Christmas and New Year road toll of 17 to 24-year-olds decreased to two in the 2007-08 period, from three in the same period in 2006-07, with one of those fatalities on the Sunshine Coast.
Many people were critical of the laws affecting learner drivers and provisional drivers in Queensland by requiring more hours of learner driving and requiring all provisional drivers to wear P plates.
University of the Sunshine Coast student and provisional driver Lisa Jeffrey said, like most members of the community, she was critical of the laws.
“I think they're pointless because people don’t look at P plates on cars and go ‘oh I better be careful, they aren’t an experienced driver,’ they just ignore them,” she said.
“Kids are still going to speed and do stupid things regardless, and other road users just ignore them [the plates] anyway.”
The laws also limit the number of passengers a provisional driver can carry in a car between 11pm and 5am, as well as limiting the use of mobile phones in cars and the type of cars provisional drivers can drive.
“The after 11 thing is probably a good idea; less in the car, less that can get hurt,” said Ms Jeffrey.
Former Queensland Transport test instructor and Sunshine Coast driving instructor Georgie Forster believes the new laws are the underlying factor of the decrease in fatal road accidents of 17 to 24-year-olds.
“Yes they definitely are the reason, because of the experience,” she said.
“You have to do more driving, more hours, and it’s safer in the longer run.”
Ms Forster believes, contrary to the opinion of many provisional drivers, all of the new laws are necessary to ensure the safety of younger drivers.
“All of them are definitely necessary, especially being on the road and the amount of time they have to be on the road,” she said.
“The amount of time I’m on the road I can see the way people drive differently when they haven’t had a lot of experience.
“The laws make sure that the drivers are not rushing it, now you don’t have the choice to do one or two lessons and go and get the licence and by pure fluke pass and then have no experience.”
Image(s) designed by n/a