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Learners  allowed  to  drive  faster  on  NSWroads

WHEELS  STAFF TUESDAY,  MARCH  12,  2013

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Learner  drivers  in  NSW  won’t  have  to  annoy  theirparents  nearly  as  much,  with  the  announcement  that  theycan  reduce  their  compulsory  supervised  logbook  hoursfrom  120  to  80  by  taking  part  in  professional  drivertraining.

In  a  stunning  move  of  common  sense,  Learner  driverswill  also  be  able  to  travel  at  a  maximum  speed  of  90km/h,up  from  80km/h,  from  July  1,  according  to  NSW  Ministerfor  Roads,  Duncan  Gay.

Learners  will  still  form  dangerous  moving  chicanes  onthe  road  if  they  travel  in  100  or  110km/h  zones,  but  atleast  they’ll  be  slightly  more  prepared  to  drive  at  thosespeeds  once  they  get  their  P  Plates.

The  move  follows  a  recommendation  from  the  Auditor  General  to  review  Learner  speed  limits.

A  new  Safer  Drivers  Course  will  be  available  to  Learners  from  July  and  will  involve  both  theoretical  and  practicalcoaching  in  driving  habits.  The  five-­hour  course  gives  Learners  20  hours  worth  of  credit  to  take  off  their  120-­hourlogbook  total,  a  further  20  hours  can  be  knocked  off  by  taking  10  hours  of  professional  driving  lessons.

“Young  drivers  are  tragically  over-­represented  in  the  NSW  road  toll  and  we  want  to  ensure  they  are  all  given  theopportunity  to  learn  about  road  safety  while  they  are  still  learning  the  basics  of  driving,”  Mr  Gay  said.

“The  course  deals  with  different  road  conditions,  understanding  factors  beyond  a  driver’s  control  and  also  helpsidentify  risks  on  the  road.

“We  recommend  that  learners  enrol  in  the  course  when  they  have  50  hours  completed  in  their  logbook.  By  that  stagethey  will  have  basic  driving  skills  and  will  understand  and  appreciate  the  lessons  they  will  be  taught.”

Mr  Gay  said  the  cost  of  the  course  would  be  capped  at  “an  affordable  price”.

“The  course  will  help  those  young  drivers  who  struggle  to  log  120  hours  behind  the  wheel  while  on  their  L-­plateswhile  at  the  same  time  addressing  safety  issues  they  will  face  when  they  first  drive  solo,”  he  added.

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The  editor  of  Wheels  magazine,  Stephen  Corby,  welcomed  the  two  moves,  but  said  he’d  like  to  see  the  stategovernment,  and  other  states,  go  further.

“Road-­safety  advocates  have  been  promoting  the  idea  of  driver  training  for  many  years,  and  this  is  a  step  in  the  rightdirection,  but  it  is  not  compulsory  and  many  Learners  will  still  choose  not  to  do  the  course  and  go  out  on  the  roads  torepeat  the  bad  habits  their  parents  are  handing  down  to  them,”  he  said.

“Driver  training  should  be  compulsory,  as  it  is  for  motorcyclists  who  go  for  their  Learners’  permits.  Even  attitudinal  andtheoretical  training  can  be  extremely  valuable.”

The  move  to  a  90km/h  limit  was  also  a  baby  step  towards  good  sense,  Mr  Corby  added.

“Strangely,  when  I  and  many  other  adults  got  their  L  plates,  we  were  allowed  to  drive  at  the  national  speed  limit,  sothat  we  would  learn  how  to  do  so.  Now,  we  have  a  situation  where  Learners  are  forced  to  drive  under  the  limit,causing  dangerous  tailbacks  and  unsafe  overtaking  manoeuvres  by  frustrated  drivers.

“It  must  be  extremely  stressful  to  be  a  Learner,  forced  to  drive  at  20,  or  even  30km/h  slower  than  the  traffic  around  you.No  wonder  kids  all  drive  automatics  these  days.”

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QLD  Learner!Posted  by:  Rubber  Soul,  Brisbane,  on  12/03/2013  7:43:30  PM

I'm  a  learner  in  Queensland  and  we  don't  have  speed  limits.  We  have  to  do  100  logbook  hours  but  we  get  'tripletime'  with  an  instructor  up  to  30  logbook  hours  (10  actual  hours)  -­  1hr  with  instructor  =  3  logbook  hours,  10hrs  =30hrs.  I'm  glad  I  live  in  Queensland  -­  I  think  it's  the  best  state  for  learner  drivers!

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DrivingPosted  by:  PinkK,  Australia,  on  12/03/2013  4:42:17  PM

Vic  L  platers  are  allowed  to  do  the  limit,  be  it  100  or  110kmh.  I  believe  everyone  should  have  to  perform  amandatory  10  hrs  with  a  professional  driver  and  there  should  be  help  put  in  place  for  those  that  cannot  afford  to  payfor  a  professional  driver.  To  many  people  behave  like  it  is  their  right  to  drive  a  car  (and  not  just  'hoons')  and  forgetthat  they  are  throwing  around  an  object  that  weighs  over  1  ton.  Also  they  quite  often  don't  know  how  to  control  it  inANY  tricky  situation,  whether  that  be  turning  or  accelerating  on  gravel,  in  the  wet,  how  dangerous  their  car  becomewhen  they  don't  replace  the  tyres  or  breaks,  or  replace  them  with  the  cheapest  product  available  that  would  struggleto  stop  a  bike  etc.  Driver  education  does  not  end  with  L  and  P  platers,  it  only  starts  with  them.

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One  thing  QLD  are  smarter  atPosted  by:  MinusZero,  Brisbane,  on  12/03/2013  3:35:35  PM

In  QLD,  Learners  can  drive  at  100kph  so  they  dont  hold  up  traffic  on  highways.  QLD  wins  again!

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Wow  cant  believe  they  did  it  :oPosted  by:  Lady  Skull,  Newcastle,  on  12/03/2013  2:43:17  PM

Wow...  this  means  my  cousin  got  all  his  hours  in  like  6  months  he's  already  got  110  he'll  be  happy  to  hear  aboutthis.  I  think  they  should  have  a  look  at  the  'proffesional  driver'  thing  though,  my  grandfather  is  a  courier  for  themines,  he  drives  every  day  and  he  thinks  that  he  should  be  counted  as  a  professional  driver.  I  have  my  P's  so  noneof  this  really  bothers  me  anymore  i  did  all  of  the  professional  driver  lessons  with  a  driving  school  so  it  didnt  botherme  at  all.  I  did  all  120  of  my  hours  and  it  took  me  nearly  2  years  so  its  good  that  they've  dropped  the  hours  a  little  bit=]

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Faster  Learner  DriversPosted  by:  db,  Baulkham  Hills,  on  12/03/2013  1:38:38  PM

Good  idea  at  last,  pity  wrong  L  plate  displayed,  should  be  Yellow  N.S.W.  plate.  Whilst  hours  driven  with  parentsshould  be  noted  in  logbook,  only  hours  done  with  a  professional  driver  trainer  should  count  towards  numbersrequired,  which  could  be  less.  Most  parents  admit  that  they  would  not  pass  driving  test  if  they  had  to  do  it  again.

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