New driving course for learners

September 12, 2003

NOVICE drivers will be trained to avoid risky situations and cut the number of deaths and injuries on the road under a new NSW government trial.

NSW Roads Minister Carl Scully said drivers aged between 17-20 were three times more likely than drivers over 25 to be involved in a serious or fatal crash.

He said the $400,000 program would take 2,000 drivers and put them through an education regime with both classroom and vehicle training.

"They would be shown how to avoid getting in a risky situation rather than be shown how to deal with a risky situation," he told reporters.

Mr Scully said the full trial would start next year and run for about 18 months.

Titled the Young Driver Development Program, it will involve about a day and a half of classroom tuition followed by on-road practice.

If it is successful the government will look at expanding it to cover all NSW drivers.

The program was developed by the RTA and NRMA Insurance Group based on a successful scheme in Finland.

AAP

About time. $400,000 is nothing though, they would make that in a day from one $peed camera.

$400,000 program

woooo big spender's, wonder how much they spent on there propaganda in the last year.

Top idea though and about time.

Personally I can't see why car drivers don't have to go through the same testing as bike riders Could it be that only halve the drivers on the road would ever get a license??

Maybe the government should allocate speed camera money back into Driver training and fixing up our crap roads instead of propping up their government budgets

Personally I can't see why car drivers don't have to go through the same testing as bike riders Could it be that only halve the drivers on the road would ever get a license??

Maybe the government should allocate speed camera money back into Driver training and fixing up our crap roads instead of propping up their government budgets

Do I hear a suggestion that revenue is being raised by these radar or laser devices - surely NOT

As mentioned in a previous post NSW has the highest , direct and indirect tax base in the country relative to population and geography, yet still has amongst ,if not the worst roads in the nation.

Other infrastructure also leaves more than a bit to be desired.

Great initiative , but 400k ! the pollies spill that much Chardie

in a month

Being a P-Plater, who has just recently gone through the driving 'test' to get my license, I totally understand why people see the need to improve the licensing system. If I got into an emergency sistuation, I don't know how I would react. The scary thing is, I know that there are much worse drivers on the road.

At least it's a start. The funding would be absed upon the cost per student ratio and would have funding by the NRMA.

The scheme could be developed if insurance companies gave discounts to succesful course graduates!