After New South Wales was home to a tragic car accident that killed five teenagers last week, road safety experts are proposing to the State Government that males shouldn’t legally be allowed to drive until they’re at least twenty-one years old.
Australians will all know the pure thrill of getting a P1 license (aka red P-plates) at seventeen years old and finally having a little freedom. Roadtrips with mates, saying ‘see ya’ to the school bus and going for random drives just because you can.
Although, young Aussie males living in New South Wales may soon miss out on this experience if a “controversial” proposal that’s been made to the State Government is approved. As reported by The Guardian, the proposal – which was made by ‘road safety experts’ – suggests that men should not be allowed to drive until they’re at least twenty-one years old.
This suggestion comes in the wake of the car accident that took place in Sydney’s South West just last week and tragically killed five teenagers aged between fourteen to sixteen years old. The driver – and sole survivor of the accident – is an eighteen-year-old male.
Sadly, this accident isn’t the first of its kind. For instance, according to Transport for NSW, so far this year, there have been 155 male road fatalities – compared to only 48 female road fatalities.
Plus, Emeritus Professor Ann Williamson, the Australasian College of Road Safety’s president, said that almost twenty-five per cent of all car crashes in NSW were caused by drivers aged under twenty-five – shocking considering that they only represent fifteen per cent of all NSW drivers.
“The first six months of licensing, in particular, people are very vulnerable to crashes. It’s not that the road authorities and the policy decision-makers aren’t aware and there are a number of restrictions on inexperienced and novice young drivers… but it’s not enough. It clearly isn’t enough.”
Ann Williamson
Williamson went on to say that obviously, not all young drivers should be prohibited from driving but men, who are more likely to take risks on the road, should “perhaps” be made to wait until they’re a little older before getting behind the wheel.
“Undoubtedly, some young novice drivers will be better than others. If we can identify those who perhaps are likely to be inherently more risky and limit their licensing, make that a little bit later.”
“Young males, perhaps they should be twenty-one or twenty-two before they get their licence. This is very controversial stuff but these are all things to think about.”
Ann Williamson
At this stage, it’s unclear when the NSW Government will review the proposal and either approve or reject it.
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