“Peter Debnam’s comprehensive policy for better and safer P-plate drivers strikes the right balance between greater involvement of parents, values-based driver education, tougher penalties for serious offenders and stronger enforcement measures,” Jonathan O'Dea the Liberal candidate for Davidson said today.
"Like drugs and alcohol, cars can destroy teenagers' lives. We need to take the same approach as we do with alcohol and drugs to ensure teenagers make the right choices and are responsible when it comes to driving," Mr O'Dea said.
"We will give parents greater support to get the message across to their teenage kids about the dangers and responsibilities of driving."
Under the Debnam P-Plate package, parents will be given $100 financial incentives to put their teenage kids through defensive driving courses and will also be officially notified of P–plate speeding offences.
Parents will also receive family education packs, modelled on the ‘Tough on Drugs’ program, when their teenage kids apply for their L-plates, to help families discuss the dangers and responsibilities of driving.
The package also includes tougher penalties for serious and serial speeding offenders, including longer licence suspension periods and compulsory 20-hour community service orders for excessive speeding.
And for repeat offenders, caught going more than 30km/h over the limit, the NSW Liberal/Nationals will impound the vehicle for three months.
"Under Labor’s policy, young drivers are only taught the road rules and given some chaperoned drive time before we send them out on our roads. But these are not the only skills a good driver needs,’ Jonathan O'Dea said today.
"We need to go the extra step to teach our teenage kids the right attitudes and right behaviours to driving that will help save their lives.
"We have a responsibility to get these messages across, however we believe parents play the most important role, and we will give them support they need to do just that.
The Debnam package also proposes that first time offences for low range speeding – less than 15 km/h over the limit – be treated as an important warning sign. Unlike Labor’s policy for such speeding offences, there will be no automatic suspension of the licence. Rather, these drivers will be required to attend a full day compulsory driver education seminar.
"The vast majority of young drivers want to and try to do the right thing. We need to be careful not to unnecessarily punish a whole generation of new drivers and their families, with sweeping measures, that can prove difficult to enforce, and take our focus away from more serious offenders.
"However, any speeding offence must be treated as a warning sign and heeded in the interests of protecting young drivers and the community from more serious offences. That is why we will introduce compulsory driver education for these offences, as well as alerting parents to the offence.
"Importantly, the package also includes a significant increase in the police presence on the roads to give effect to these and other new restrictions, including:
• 300 extra highway patrol police officers,
• 120 additional highway patrol motor vehicles, and
• 50 additional highway patrol motorcycles.
"We do not believe that restrictions alone can stop the carnage of young lives lost on our roads. Resources must also be dedicated to enforcement through increased highway patrol officers to give these restrictions effect,” Jonathan O'Dea said.
Further details on the NSW Liberal/Nationals Coalition P-Plate policy can be found at www.peterdebnam.com.au.
