GLS Initiatives in NSW Margaret Prendergast Acting General Manager NSW Centre for Road Safety August 2012

Overview Putting the issue in perspective - Road trauma to youth Specific issues of concern NSW initiatives - New Graduated Licensing System (GLS) Development of the Safer Drivers Course for learner drivers Addressing cross border anomalies National Harmonisation

Putting the Issue in Perspective Road trauma is one of the main sources of injury for young people in NSW and globally in many motorised countries. Youth are over-represented in road crashes – 17 to 25 year old drivers comprise 14% of licensed drivers in NSW, but 26% of drivers involved in fatal crashes.

Putting the Issue in Perspective Rank0-14 yrs15-44 yrs45-64 yrs65+ yrs 1Motor vehicle transport Suicide Exposure to unspecified factor 2DrowningMotor vehicle transport Fall 3Threats to breathing (unintentional) Poisoning (unintentional) Suicide 4Exposure to unspecified factor Motor vehicle transport 5Interpersonal violence FallThreats to breathing (unintentional) Leading causes of death from injury and poisoning NSW 2002 to 2006 Source: NSW Health Leading Causes of Injury Deaths Note: MVT includes traffic and non-traffic deaths

Road Trauma to Youth Road safety terminology – “Youth” also includes younger road users = 12-16yrs. – “Young drivers” = 17-25yrs. Youth road user groups – Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, drivers, passengers. – Injury patterns vary by age. – Injuries reflect changes in road travel patterns through adolescence.

Road Trauma to Youth

Young drivers are particularly at risk during the provisional licence stages and there is an aged-based effect separate to experience. Crash involvement, NSW Number of months since licensing

Specific Issues of Concern Driving Age Risk taking such as – Speeding, alcohol – Males – Peer influence Lack of driving or riding experience – Skills secondary to behaviour Passengers Hazard perception deficiencies Sleep patterns and fatigued driving Mobile phones / distraction Older vehicles with less safety features. Pre-driving Limitations assessing risk Easily influenced and distracted by peers Increasing independence and freedom

Specific Issues of Concern Rural youth Challenges: higher speed local roads, older vehicles, longer distances, interaction with heavy vehicles, post crash care Issues oSpeed oAlcohol oFatigue oSeatbelts oDistraction

Specific Issues of Concern Rural Youth

Current Licensing Arrangements Graduated Licensing The Graduated Licensing Scheme, was revised in July 2007, and requires new drivers to pass through three licensing stages before obtaining a full driver licence: Learner licence Provisional P1 licence Provisional P2 licence.

Why Extensive Hours? While risk taking is a factor in novice driver crashes, in the early stages of solo driving many novices crash simply through inexperience. In a crash based study conducted in Sweden in 1997, newly licensed drivers with about 120 hours practice as learners had up to 35 percent less crashes per kilometre travelled than those of a comparison group with a little over 40 hours practice.

Initiatives for young drivers in NSW GLS with 50 hours of supervised driving Workshops for supervisors of learner drivers Zero alcohol for L and P licence holders High powered vehicle restrictions P drivers Young driver advisory panel Changes to GLS and licensing restrictions Speeding laws for P2’s and Motorcycle GLS AG’s audit of young driver safety

Other initiatives that impact on youth safety School-based road safety education (as part of curriculum, Kindergarten-Year 12) Youthsafe and other NGO’s – Support professionals working with youth Local Government Programs Roadside drug testing introduced Dec 2006 Police enhanced enforcement operations Re-introduction of Mobile speed cameras, July 2010 Range of public education campaigns Trial of the P driver’s project

Impact of NSW Initiatives

Road toll reductions, younger vs older drivers Since 2000, the number of younger drivers involved in fatal crashes has been halved (51%) whilst older drivers have improved by around one-third (36%).

NSW Initiatives In terms of fatal crash involvements per licence holders, both the 17 to 20 and 21 to 25 year old age groups have reduced involvement rates by at least half.

Development of the Safer Drivers Course Seeking to help young drivers who have difficulty reaching 120 hours of on road instruction without compromising safety. Board of independent road safety experts and an Advisory Panel. Addressing disadvantage – especially remote areas of NSW

Development of the Safer Drivers Course It is anticipated the course will be a combination of classroom and in-vehicle activities and will focus on driver attitude and safe driving behaviour. The proposal seeks to introduce a five hour safer driver course that will address key road safety issues for novice drivers. From our work to date – it is very clear that on- road log hours are the critical factor.

Addressing cross border anomalies Ensure recognition of home state conditions. Better alignment, especially the Eastern Seaboard. Affects NSW at the Queensland, Victorian and ACT borders.

National Harmonisation Should be an aspirational system to improve road safety. Should recognise issues in individual jurisdictions and not defer to lowest common denominator nor an average. Should address key elements:  On-Road Log hours  Restrictions – passenger, speeding, distraction and alcohol.