It could soon become more difficult for young drivers to get their driver’s licence in one Australian state as authorities propose a stricter learning framework after hitting an 18-year high in road fatalities.
From today, Western Australians are being urged to have their say on the graduated licensing system (GLS) — the criteria prospective drivers need to meet in order to obtain their licence. Authorities say the move is in the interest of helping L and P-plate drivers become safer motorists after the state clocked its highest number of road fatalities in 18 years, with 138 people losing their lives on WA roads this year so far.
Suggested changes include increasing the minimum number of supervised driving hours from 50 to 75 hours, increasing the minimum learner driver period from six to 12 months, and extending the provisional driver period from two to three years. This would result in drivers spending two years on their green P-plates, rather than 18 months.
Phone use would also be limited under the new framework, meaning learner and provisional drivers would only be permitted to use in-car systems, such as GPS and playing audio. This comes after research from insurance company AAMI revealed one in four drivers are preoccupied with smart phones and watches while behind the wheel.
“I encourage every Western Australian to take part in this important consultation on how we improve our graduated licensing system to ensure new and young drivers understand how and why it’s important to drive safe,” Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby said.
“We have a shared responsibility to have our say on how young drivers can be better prepared to be safe on our roads, and this community consultation is everyone’s opportunity to share their insights.”
Under the proposed changes, supervising adults would also be required to play a more responsible role and be completely alcohol-free in the passenger seat. Currently, they need to be under the 0.05 legal limit.
Young drivers asked to ‘drive like your mate’s life depends on it’
The six-week consultation period on the GLS changes, which will end on November 9, has been rolled out one day after the state government also launched a new advertising campaign, which includes the mother and best friend of 15-year-old Tom Saffioti. The teenager tragically died in 2021 when the car he was travelling in slammed into a tree.
‘Tom’s story’ is included in the campaign, which asks young drivers to “drive like your mate’s life depends on it. Because it does”.
“The campaign is deeply personal to me,” Tom’s mother Samantha Saffioti told The Sunday Times. “I hope it makes young people stop and think about the choices they make when they’re in a car, whether it’s who they get in with, how many people they take, or how safely they drive.
“If Tom’s story can spark even one young person to make a safer choice, then that’s a powerful legacy,” she said.
15-year-old Tom Saffioti tragically died in 2021 when the car he was travelling in slammed into a tree. Source: ABC
Nine out of 10 drivers distracted while behind the wheel on Aussie roads
WA’s push for a stricter learner driver framework is the latest move by an Australian state to squash the rising number of road fatalities across the country, with five people losing their lives every day on Aussie roads.
Nationwide, there has been a significant uptick in surveillance on roads, including the use of AI-roadside cameras, to catch out drivers doing the wrong thing, like incorrectly wearing their seatbelts, speeding or using their phone.
In the AAMI research, distraction was highlighted as a major factor in jeopardising road safety, with nine out of 10 drivers admitting to driving distracted, with almost a quarter of the drivers saying they would not change their behaviour unless they experience the consequences of their actions first-hand.
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