By Josh Timewell

 

Imagine yourself at 17 years old. You’re most likely in your last couple of years of high school, or have just started working. If the distraction of your friends isn’t enough, you also find yourself in the seductive world of drugs and alcohol. You have a lot of hard decisions to make. Currently, the state of Victoria is looking into lowering the driving age from 18 to 17 years old, adding yet another factor to the mix of adulthood.

Victoria is the only state in Australia that requires drivers to turn 18 before issuing them a probationary licence. This licence allows them to drive unsupervised, but under certain conditions. These include a zero blood alcohol limit, vehicle and occupant restrictions.

A Facebook group called Monash Stalkerspace, with over 50,000 members, was polled on “do you think the Victorian Government should lower the driving age to 17?” Of the 1263 responses, 92 percent said they did not support the change. This data represents a younger demographic, given the majority of the group consists of Monash and other university students.

James Purcell MLC, a Vote 1 Local Jobs member, issued a motion for inquiry into the driving age in Victoria in December last year. It is currently under investigation by the Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee. There are a number of points on which the Committee will focus, including current licence structures, high youth unemployment in regional areas and assessing the correlation between reduced driving age and road toll.

Through his motion, Mr Purcell suggests the main benefits brought by the lower age include allowing young apprentices to drive to work, as well as more convenient transport for those in rural areas where public transport is less efficient.

He also highlights research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in America that reveals “driving experience matters more than driving age when it comes to the safety of young adult drivers”.

Jack Glasgow MacCauley heads the Monash Automotive Club (MAC), a group established to allow car enthusiasts to come together and share their ideas. He grew up in Tasmania, where the legal driving age is 17. He supports the idea of lowering the age, as he believes it comes down to ability rather than age alone.

“I like the fact that you have to do 120 hours [as a learner driver]. I feel like that should be kept the same. For the people that are able to do that many hours in a smaller time period, it sort-of makes sense.

“I don’t really feel like there’s much of a difference between those two ages as long as they can pass a proper driving test to prove they are competent on the road.”

Melinda Spiteri, the RACV Manager for road user behaviour cautions the move, citing data that suggests a rise in road trauma if the laws were passed.

“If the licensing age were to be lowered to 17 years of age, the possible introduction of further restrictions than what is currently in place for probationary drivers should be considered. These could include night time restrictions, being applicable in regional Victoria only, or only allowing 17 years olds that can prove ‘hardship’ of not having a license being eligible at 17 years old.

“However, there is evidence that lowering the licensing age will likely increase road trauma, which needs to be a significant factor in considering any change.”

The data to which Ms Spiteri is referring does not take into account the multiple other risk factors that cause death on Australian roads, such as the influence of alcohol or drugs or road conditions.

In many other countries, a lowered driving age is in place. In most parts of the United States, people are allowed behind the wheel at 16 years of age. U.S born Charlie Moore, grew up in California under these laws, but believes it would not be a healthy change to introduce to Victorian roads.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. There’s no good reason I can think of to lower the age. In California I think you can drive alone when you’re 16 provided you’ve got your permit and it’s before a certain time.

“You’re hardly an adult. In fact, probably at the least responsible age you could possibly be. Your parents still provide for you but you can also make choices that effect lives and still not feel responsible about that choice because you’re ‘just a kid’.

“Most people here are pretty shit drivers already,” Mr Moore said.

The Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee’s investigation will release their recommendations before 30 November 2016.

 

 

Featured image source: http://www.parenting.com