A road safety committee headed by Albury MP Greg Aplin has recommended the NSW government clear up unclear and inadequate rules surrounding the state’s youngest and oldest drivers.
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Mr Aplin told NSW Parliament the committee’s report came after the most comprehensive review it had ever completed on driving education.
“NSW continues to be a standout road safety performer, but the recent spike in fatalities, particularly among some mature age groups, and claims of the benefits of certain driving training technologies and techniques led us to self refer this inquiry,” he said.
One of the 30 recommendations was that Transport for NSW review the conditions of P-plater licences, looking for ways to to remove the confusion for those in cross-border areas.
Young drivers often complained they were given mixed messages about what speed they could travel and how many peer passengers they could carry when driving from NSW into Victoria.
The elderly, especially those who suffered dementia, were also a significant part of the review as some families were unaware these people were required to have conditions on their driver’s licences.
The committee recommended making it mandatory for medical practitioners to report patients with dementia or any other conditions that could affect driving ability.
“We find that current reporting arrangements for dementia and other medical conditions which may diminish driving capacity are inadequate, and the role of doctors and other health professionals in contributing to road safety is unclear,” the report stated.
It also backed the arrangement in NSW which valued professional driving instructors more than parents or supervisors, allowing 30 hours to be added to a logbook if at least 10 hours were completed in professional lessons.
The committee recommended extending that discount for other lessons taken with community driving instructors such as with Rotary Youth Driver Awareness.
