QLD PROGRESSES COUNTRY’S TOUGHEST YOUNG DRIVER LAWS
Published Monday, 20 November, 2006 at 02:41 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Paul Lucas
State Cabinet today approved the proposed new young driver laws that will ensure Queensland has the toughest legislation of its kind in Australia.
Premier Peter Beattie said today the young driver laws are one of a raft of road safety measures approved by Cabinet, as the implementation of the Government’s Road Safety Summit recommendations continues.
“Since I convened the Road Safety Summit in February we’ve introduced year-round double demerit penalties for repeat high-end speed offenders, we’ve toughened our anti-hooning laws and we’ve made it easier for Police to taken dangerous drivers off our roads immediately,” he said.
“The death of seven people on our roads over the weekend sends a grim message that more has to be done – by government and the community – and we are committed to playing our part.”
Mr Beattie said the young driver laws, to be introduced into Parliament next week would place a number of restrictions on drivers under the age of 25.
“The laws will:
• prohibit young drivers from driving high-powered vehicles for the full three years of their provisional licence;
• restrict the number passengers under the age of 21 they can carry late at night;
• crack down further on mobile phone usage by young drivers; and
• introduce mandatory 100 hours practice prior to going for a licence.
“These are tough laws but the Government makes no apologies for doing everything it can to make Queensland roads safer, especially for our young drivers.”
Mr Beattie also urged Queensland parents to play their part in keeping their children safe on the roads.
“I encourage all parents to help keep their kids safe on the road – don’t buy them a V8 as their first car, get out on the road with them as much as you can to supervise their driving in different conditions while they learn, and talk to them about road safety and avoiding peer pressure.
“Last weekend’s tragic accident that claimed the lives of three Sunshine Coast teenagers is a stark reminder of what can happen when safety isn’t the first priority. Parents need to drive this message home to their kids.
“The Government will continue to do all it can do to reduce the road toll, but we can't do it alone - we need the support of every Queensland driver to drive safely and play it safe when they get behind a wheel.”
Transport Minister Paul Lucas said the broad range of road safety measures approved today would go a long way to making Queensland roads safer.
“As well as the tough young driver laws, in an Australian first, Cabinet has agreed to introduce demerit points and increased fines for safety related heavy vehicle fatigue offences,” Mr Lucas said.
“This will close a loophole that has let some unscrupulous trucking companies pay fines on behalf of their drivers, allowing them to avoid penalty and removing motivation to comply with driving fatigue and logbook laws.
“Heavy vehicle drivers will now have a much harder time dodging their responsibility – break the law and you could lose your licence.”
Mr Lucas said fatigue-related crashes could be easily avoided but some heavy vehicle drivers continue to push themselves to the limit, with devastating results.
“Of 48 fatalities and 435 hospitalisations from crashes involving heavy vehicles in 2005, 10 fatalities (or 20%) and 42 hospitalisations (or 10%) involved fatigued heavy vehicle drivers. This was 3% of all fatalities on the state's roads.
The demerit points and fines to be introduced include:
• 3 demerit points and a $600 fine for failing to carry a log book or record the required information in the logbook;
• up to 3 demerit points and up to a $600 fine for exceeding regulated total driving/work hours (in 24-hour period);
• up to 3 demerit points and up to a $600 fine for exceeding regulated continuous driving/work hours;
• up to 3 demerit points and up to a $600 fine for not taking a regulated rest break;
• up to 3 demerit points and a $1500 fine for driving against a prohibition imposed by a transport inspector or police officer for a prior breach of the regulation.
“Now for the first time, drivers in Queensland have a more personal reason to ensure they are being safe on our roads – too many demerit points could mean licence suspension which would put these professional drivers off the road.”
Mr Lucas said a Cabinet had also approved the preparation of a discussion paper to examine options on further changes to medical reporting laws, including compulsory reporting by medical practitioners where they did not believe a patient was fit to drive.
“At the moment the legal requirement to report medical conditions falls solely on the driver, who since March this year have had to report to Queensland Transport long-term or permanent medical conditions that might affect their ability to drive safely.”
“In consultation with the medical industry, we will look at possible changes to the roles of doctors, occupational therapists, optometrists and physiotherapists in reporting a patient’s fitness to drive.”
Mr Beattie said the State Government would give serious consideration to naming any future laws regarding compulsory medical condition reporting after Jet Rowland who died in a road accident in 2004.
“The Transport Minister has given a commitment to Mrs Rowland personally that we will give very serious consideration to naming any future law along these lines ‘Jet’s Law’ in memory of her son,” he said.
Monday November 20, 2006
Media Contacts:
Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – 3237 1942
Premier Peter Beattie said today the young driver laws are one of a raft of road safety measures approved by Cabinet, as the implementation of the Government’s Road Safety Summit recommendations continues.
“Since I convened the Road Safety Summit in February we’ve introduced year-round double demerit penalties for repeat high-end speed offenders, we’ve toughened our anti-hooning laws and we’ve made it easier for Police to taken dangerous drivers off our roads immediately,” he said.
“The death of seven people on our roads over the weekend sends a grim message that more has to be done – by government and the community – and we are committed to playing our part.”
Mr Beattie said the young driver laws, to be introduced into Parliament next week would place a number of restrictions on drivers under the age of 25.
“The laws will:
• prohibit young drivers from driving high-powered vehicles for the full three years of their provisional licence;
• restrict the number passengers under the age of 21 they can carry late at night;
• crack down further on mobile phone usage by young drivers; and
• introduce mandatory 100 hours practice prior to going for a licence.
“These are tough laws but the Government makes no apologies for doing everything it can to make Queensland roads safer, especially for our young drivers.”
Mr Beattie also urged Queensland parents to play their part in keeping their children safe on the roads.
“I encourage all parents to help keep their kids safe on the road – don’t buy them a V8 as their first car, get out on the road with them as much as you can to supervise their driving in different conditions while they learn, and talk to them about road safety and avoiding peer pressure.
“Last weekend’s tragic accident that claimed the lives of three Sunshine Coast teenagers is a stark reminder of what can happen when safety isn’t the first priority. Parents need to drive this message home to their kids.
“The Government will continue to do all it can do to reduce the road toll, but we can't do it alone - we need the support of every Queensland driver to drive safely and play it safe when they get behind a wheel.”
Transport Minister Paul Lucas said the broad range of road safety measures approved today would go a long way to making Queensland roads safer.
“As well as the tough young driver laws, in an Australian first, Cabinet has agreed to introduce demerit points and increased fines for safety related heavy vehicle fatigue offences,” Mr Lucas said.
“This will close a loophole that has let some unscrupulous trucking companies pay fines on behalf of their drivers, allowing them to avoid penalty and removing motivation to comply with driving fatigue and logbook laws.
“Heavy vehicle drivers will now have a much harder time dodging their responsibility – break the law and you could lose your licence.”
Mr Lucas said fatigue-related crashes could be easily avoided but some heavy vehicle drivers continue to push themselves to the limit, with devastating results.
“Of 48 fatalities and 435 hospitalisations from crashes involving heavy vehicles in 2005, 10 fatalities (or 20%) and 42 hospitalisations (or 10%) involved fatigued heavy vehicle drivers. This was 3% of all fatalities on the state's roads.
The demerit points and fines to be introduced include:
• 3 demerit points and a $600 fine for failing to carry a log book or record the required information in the logbook;
• up to 3 demerit points and up to a $600 fine for exceeding regulated total driving/work hours (in 24-hour period);
• up to 3 demerit points and up to a $600 fine for exceeding regulated continuous driving/work hours;
• up to 3 demerit points and up to a $600 fine for not taking a regulated rest break;
• up to 3 demerit points and a $1500 fine for driving against a prohibition imposed by a transport inspector or police officer for a prior breach of the regulation.
“Now for the first time, drivers in Queensland have a more personal reason to ensure they are being safe on our roads – too many demerit points could mean licence suspension which would put these professional drivers off the road.”
Mr Lucas said a Cabinet had also approved the preparation of a discussion paper to examine options on further changes to medical reporting laws, including compulsory reporting by medical practitioners where they did not believe a patient was fit to drive.
“At the moment the legal requirement to report medical conditions falls solely on the driver, who since March this year have had to report to Queensland Transport long-term or permanent medical conditions that might affect their ability to drive safely.”
“In consultation with the medical industry, we will look at possible changes to the roles of doctors, occupational therapists, optometrists and physiotherapists in reporting a patient’s fitness to drive.”
Mr Beattie said the State Government would give serious consideration to naming any future laws regarding compulsory medical condition reporting after Jet Rowland who died in a road accident in 2004.
“The Transport Minister has given a commitment to Mrs Rowland personally that we will give very serious consideration to naming any future law along these lines ‘Jet’s Law’ in memory of her son,” he said.
Monday November 20, 2006
Media Contacts:
Premier’s Office – 3224 4500
Minister’s Office – 3237 1942