The Australian state of Victoria’s Graduated Licensing System (GLS) is reducing the risk of crashes for young drivers and saving lives, according to an independent review.
The VicRoads commissioned report shows drivers who have logged a minimum of 120 hours of supervised learner driving experience and completed a two-stage probationary licence process, have lower crash rates and exhibit better driving behaviours than drivers who earned their licence under the old system. According to the report, P-Platers – those with a probationary licence – in their first year of driving are 19% less likely to be involved in a fatal or serious crash under the GLS.
“This independent evaluation shows that the GLS is working – saving lives and reducing the number of serious injury collisions for our youngest and most inexperienced drivers,” said Minister for Roads and Road Safety Luke Donnellan. “While these results are a ringing endorsement for our licensing system, we still have a lot of work to do – road crashes continue to be one of the leading causes of death for young people aged 18 to 25.”
Under the GLS system, learner drivers who have reached 18 and have completed the required 120 hours of supervised driving, can apply for a probationary driver licence, or P plates. Once they have their P plates, young drivers can drive on their own but must display P plates. Most drivers will spend four years on P plates – one on P1 and three on P2. Special rules apply to both P1 and P2 licence holders.
According to the recent report, the ban on carrying more than one passenger aged 16-22 for P1 licence holders has been highly effective, with involvement in crashes while carrying two or more peer passengers down 70%.
However, the evaluation found that while GLS has been successful in improving young driver safety, further work is needed to reduce the crash rates of older novice drivers aged 21 to 23. It also found an increase in speed and mobile phone use offences among probationary drivers.
From November 1, the GLS system will require learner drivers to complete 20 hours of supervised night driving instead of 10.
