Young Driver Poll

[Crusher]

If you were a new driver on your P's would you be open to the idea of spending your 'P' years in a car that was built with a small engine which could only travel at say 80kmh max, if the car was subsidised by the Australian Govt and cost between $5-$7K, or under a nominal lease arrangement of say $20 a week.

This is for the speed issue which is where 80% of accidents occur. As Dani mentioned alcohol and disobeying signs etc is another issue.

If no, it would be interesting to see what formed that opinion.

Remember, this is only in relation to speed and as Marti mentioned you can be speeding at 70 in a 60. Keep in mind though that most deaths occur at high speed.

 

[Dani]

A slower car is not going to stop people getting behind the wheel drunk, reckless driving, ie. tailgating, taking corners fast, swerving, not stopping when appropriate ect.

 

[Crusher]

That would come down to education but as 80% of accidents from young drivers are speed related.....

 

[Martli]

That would come down to education but as 80% of accidents from young drivers are speed related.....

You can still speed at 80kmph though. Like Dani mentioned "taking corners fast".

I was in a car with a mate, on his full license and he was doing 60kmph in 50kmph zones in wet conditions. I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it out alive it was nuts. Incredable to think he was fully licensed. An 80kmph speed limiter is not going to stop things like that.

If education is going to prevent the things Dani mentioned, then why not speeding too?

Besides I don't think it's the governments role to provide us all with cars - but that's just my own political opinion ;-)

 

[Crusher]

Marti, I can see your point but the simple facts are that most of the accidents causing death are high speed accidents. Yes you can speed at 70 in a 60 but its less likely to kill you than doing 140 in a 60.

 

[TooheysNew]

Nope. The govt can spend that money on driver education and more police. A smaller car is just as dangerous as a larger car in most cases, and even more dangerous in certain situations.

 

[Dani]

I think this idea would be like putting a band aid on a broken leg.

 

[Martli]

Marti, I can see your point but the simple facts are that most of the accidents causing death are high speed accidents. Yes you can speed at 70 in a 60 but its less likely to kill you than doing 140 in a 60.

It would reduce the risk, sure, but I don't think the expense justifies it. Like Dilmah mentioned, you could spend the money on education and, in my opinion, you'd probably save a few more lives than limiting the speed of people's cars.

Then of course there is the school of thought where young drivers need to learn how to drive at the full speed limit as well.

 

[Crusher]

Dilly,

you can probably observe that this issue is a passionate one for me.

From relatives to friends I look back and say 'if only they weren;t going that fast'. I've looked at most of the stats and they tell me that the largest propprtion of deaths is speed (80%) and the largest percentage of speed deaths are at high speed. I can only imagine how many of these senseless deaths could have been avoided if they were in a slower car by force.

From my driver training on the race track a while back it was startling to hear that 80k's was the realistic benchmark before a drivers life was in danger. Most accidents under 80 will usually injure you but not likely kill you. That's why I'm so passionate about young guys like my brother for example to drive a slower car. Frankly it scares me to bits.

Other than this as I've said all drivers should also do advanced driving under controlled speed situations on a track.

Education is a tough one as it sometimes takes too long to sink in like smoking. We all know what's right and wrong but were also human

 

[TooheysNew]

Don't know about anyone else, but I've had two situations that I can remember, where I had to accelerate to avoid an accident. Braking would have done nothing, and there was simply no other way to avoid it. Both cases I had to drive faster than 80km to not get hit, no fault of my own, and yet if I was in this type of vespa-car I would have had a car through my drivers door at about 70km/hr.

Also, 80km/hr as a maximum speed on a freeway is just dangerous. Should we just ban P platers from driving on freeways too?

 

[chileman]

I voted no as my teenage years would never have been the same without my HG KIngswood, built like a tank!

 

[Crusher]

Then is the only other answer extensive training as in maybe a TAFE course with field training.

I also find it positive that so many of us share the same concerns regardless of the point of view.

 

[TooheysNew]

you can probably observe that this issue is a passionate one for me.

Me also, as I dare say is obvious.

From relatives to friends I look back and say 'if only they weren;t going that fast'. I've looked at most of the stats and they tell me that the largest propprtion of deaths is speed (80%) and the largest percentage of speed deaths are at high speed. I can only imagine how many of these senseless deaths could have been avoided if they were in a slower car by force.

From my driver training on the race track a while back it was startling to hear that 80k's was the realistic benchmark before a drivers life was in danger. Most accidents under 80 will usually injure you but not likely kill you. That's why I'm so passionate about young guys like my brother for example to drive a slower car. Frankly it scares me to bits.

Other than this as I've said all drivers should lalso earn under controlled speed situations on a track.

I agree 100% that speed is a huge issue, but it is an issue that affects everybody, not just P platers. If we are going to bring in a rule that limits people to 80Ks, bring it in for everyone. We are punishing P platers for something that is no fault of theirs, in most cases, while letting middle aged and older people in essence get away with speeding, just because they are older in years, not necessarily experience.

One rule for all. Not one rule for all those who we think are a risk.

 

[TooheysNew]

Then is the only other answer extensive training as in maybe a TAFE course with field training.

In my opinion, yes.

 

[Crusher]

Don't know about anyone else, but I've had two situations that I can remember, where I had to accelerate to avoid an accident. Braking would have done nothing, and there was simply no other way to avoid it. Both cases I had to drive faster than 80km to not get hit, no fault of my own, and yet if I was in this type of vespa-car I would have had a car through my drivers door at about 70km/hr.

Also, 80km/hr as a maximum speed on a freeway is just dangerous. Should we just ban P platers from driving on freeways too?

Thats an excellent point Dilly which I woudl have no answer for but also remember there are Vespa drivers etc out there who travel at 80 even on a freeway. Its a matter of respecting everyone on the road and have then stay to the left.

 

[Crusher]

In my opinion, yes.

Surely this should be mandatory whether Govt sponsored or not. I believe the pre 'P' period should be around 6 months of at least 1 day a week of theory and field (with field) being the major component.

I believe without a shadow of a doubt this would make a huge difference to driving deaths. I also believe this training would help those who had a momentary lapse (or idiot moment) on the road and maybe save their lives also.

 

[Jono078]

I'll be getting my Ps soon and it wont matter what sort of car I have, all I know is I wont be the stupid kind of P plater.. if some decide to be stupid and not take driving seriously then it's their own fault if something happens.

 

[Crusher]

Jono,

It's the stupid kind that you need to worry about. They are the idiots who can hurt you.

 

[Jono078]

Yeh, but unfortunetly from what ive seen, it's not the P platers who are the worst on the road.

I never realised how many idiots there were on the roads until I understood all the rules and started driving..

 

[The Devil]

Imposing restrictions on all P-platers is not a good idea IMO.

First of all you're punishing the majority of P-platers that do drive safely and are good drivers.

Crusher, lets say we go ahead with your plan of an 80km/h speed limited car. Once a P-plater has gone through the system and now on their full licence and is able to buy a car with a speed limit of 240+ km/h and a bigger engine, they wouldn't be used to the car and ultimately will have less control over a more powerful car at their disposal.

As a P-Plater myself i suggest that the penalties are harsher when one is caught which will serve as a deterrant. Imposing restrictions will just cause air-headed p-platers to break those restrictions, whilst heavier penalties will deter them altogether.

Also when young drivers are starting out and have fully licensed drivers beeping them and riding up their tail only causes them to become worried and will feel pressured to drive faster. I remember many times when i've been going the speed limit and there were cars behind me honking their horns and flashing their lights. Driving around in those environments can also influence a young driver when they first drive un-assisted, since they think "If they can do it, so can I"