Driver Age

[bajdas]

Should we look at renewal courses or tests for driver licenses ?

Has an emergency worker I have to renew my qualifications every 5 years. The elderly get re-tested every year, I believe. Do truck drivers have to re-test ?

Why not everyone do a license re-test every ten years when driver license is renewed ?

If you failed first renewal test, be allowed to get some lessons and re-sit test in ?? months. Fail second test and go back to P plates after more lessons.

I certainly pickup some bad driving habits over time (one hand on steering wheel instead of two hands) What do you think......

[Scania_1]

no truck drivers do not need to sit a licence test unless they are going up a class.

[Alan (Big Al)]

I was called to a minor MVA one morning that turned out to be one of my workmates (he hit a stobie at low speed by himself), thankfully minor he blew .21 on the breatho, he got a $1200 fine and 18months license suspension, yet on the telly the other day a Young driver admitted to driving without due care  causing a death and was fined $700 and had his license suspended for 8months, honestly wheres the justice and the deterrent for young people to stop driving like knobs??? We need harsher penalties (that are enforced) for all drivers if you don't comply then say goodbye to you license for 5 years?

Whether harsher enforced penalties would work i don't know but maybe keep the driver age of 16 the same but have them on a tighter leash for longer (less demerit points etc...).

[rescue5271]

Time the law and those that have the job of dishing out the punishment all got their act together and all sentencing was the same should not matter if you are male or female....

[CaptCom]

I agree with the harsher penalties but honestly, how many does it stop from actually driving when they don't have a licence?? 

I used to work for a Job Network and the amount of clients who drove without a licence would have nearly outweighed those who did.

How often do you hear that the person was driving unlicenced and unregistered??  and the penalty..a slap with a wet fish..

[PF_]

Does it matter if you are male or female?

Driving at 16 is fine because sitting in the seat next to you is your mum or dad or an experienced driving instructor most of the time.  It is their role to tech the Learner the correct way to drive.  I think too much blame is put on younger drivers when it is older drivers that have problems as well, youse were all young drivers too once and how many of youse even had P's for more than a month or two?  Its like when a police man came to the school last year to talk about driving and was talking to old folks and they said we are the biggest drug takers etc, but there the ones popping pill's everyday and night.

[CFS_Firey]

I would agree that older drivers are worse drivers than younger ones... Probably over half don't indicate enough, and its usually older drivers that tailgate me. (Has anyone else noticed that 4WD drivers tailgate chronically?) How often do you see an 'L plater' who's been rear ended for going too slow? Too often IMO.
The problem with Younger drivers is that they driver irresponsibly, not badly.

[Alan (Big Al)]

If people want to drive without lisences then throw them in jail, they will learn pretty quickly when they're behind bars.....

[Toast]

We just park tow trucks in front of people who drive without licenses... its stops them rather well...

[CFS_Firey]

If people want to drive without licenses then throw them in jail, they will learn pretty quickly when they're behind bars.....

You can go to jail for using an illegal version of Microsoft Windows, but does that stop you? 
IMO harsher punishments will only hurt the responsible people (or the semi responsible in this case )

[pumprescue]

I have heard this argument at brigade level about various things, driving, what age is appropriate for attending fire calls etc etc. End of the day each individual has a choice of being an idiot and making the wrong choices or following the rules and doing the right thing by everyone. I got my licence when i was 16 and I know people who were my age being idiots but also people who were 30 driving just the same and they had a licence for nearly 15 years. go figure, it doesn't matter what the age is people will drive the way their head is telling them.

[probie_boy]

We just park tow trucks in front of people who drive without licenses... its stops them rather well...

indeed it does...