Recent horrific crashes involving P-plate drivers have again created public debate as to what can be done to save young lives. NRMA has been working with the government and other groups to find solutions. Our Road Safety Policy Advisor, Anne Morphett, explains what has been achieved. NRMA is a member of the NSW Government’s Young Drivers Advisory Panel, which looks at measures to save young lives, taking into account the geographic, social and economic factors that affect young people and their families.

Our concern is that any measures introduced be practical and enforceable. We want to find a balance between saving young lives and ensuring unfair restrictions are not placed on young drivers.

There are more than 100,000 P1 drivers on NSW roads and most drive safely. NRMA believes it is right to get tough on P-plate drivers (or any drivers) who break the law, but we don’t want to restrict or punish other P-plate drivers who do the right thing.

The measures announced by the NSW Government include:

• Tougher licence testing.
• Zero tolerance for speeding offences. 
• P1 drivers restricted to carrying one peer passenger between 11pm and 5am.
• Ban on all mobile phone use – even hands-free – for P1 drivers.

NRMA welcomes most of the measures, and has also discussed with the panel its desire to see more information made available for parents to help them make informed choices about safer vehicles and the risks of passengers and other distractions to young drivers.

We do, however, oppose the measure that restricts the number of passengers a P1 driver can carry between 11pm and 5am. Reasons for this include:

• While passengers can be a distraction, many lives have been saved because a sober driver drove others home safely. Restricting passengers may mean young people are left in unsafe places, or some may choose to take a risk and drive when they have had a drink. The results of an NRMA youth survey show that 65% of young drivers often or always volunteer to be the designated driver.
• Transport options are limited in outer urban and regional areas. 
• If you restrict P1 drivers to one passenger you increase the number of P-plate drivers on the road and thus the risk of more crashes.

The measure that NRMA has consistently called for is a greater visible police presence on our roads, which immediately improves the safety of everyone on the road. It is also necessary if the NSW Government introduces its P-plate measures: young drivers need to know that there is a high risk of being caught if they don’t adhere to the rules. The youth survey found that 70% of young people agreed or strongly agreed that enhancing police enforcement would help reduce P-plater road fatalities.

NRMA also supports an RTA announcement, made earlier this year, about having more supervised driving experience introduced for learner drivers. There is sufficient evidence to indicate it can reduce the risk of crashing for young drivers.

We welcome your comments on this story. To have your say, post your views at the Open Road Blog.

NRMA involvement in youth road safety

• Our SHIFT 2nd Gear interactive road safety CD is in all high schools and TAFEs across NSW. 
• We have our Getting there ... booklet for learners and their supervisors.
• Our Youth and Road Trauma Forum, developed in partnership with Westmead Hospital, teaches young people about the trauma that can result from risky driving.
• A new program, called Motorvate, supports road safety workshops for
  young people. 
• At our Safer Driving Education Centre, learner drivers can take their first driving lessons in a state-of-the-art driving simulator, then have on-road lessons with our driving school. Our objective is to teach low-risk driving techniques to ensure safer drivers are on our roads.