Opinion Articles

SOUL MATTERS: P Plate drivers, speak out, others, listen
By Rebecca Shelton

In recent times there has been much publicity regarding P-plate drivers and the number of fatal road incidents in which they have been involved. Many potential strategies to address this problem have been suggested. As a P-plate driver, I feel that ‘P-platers' need to express their concerns and consider what might work for them. Almost all strategies and concerns are expressed by politicians and older citizens.

Most of the strategies the government may introduce are targeted at the minority of P-platers – those who are reckless and hold the law in utter contempt – while all young drivers are affected by these limitations, even if they have never committed an offence. Those who are reckless will continue to be reckless; they will just find a new way to bypass the laws. Some of the government's ideas are positive steps to reduce fatalities involving younger drivers. However, one suggestion to lower the number of passengers a P-plate driver is allowed to carry, led to claims that more will drink and drive as they are unable to car-pool, which defeats the purpose of the designated driver.

Many of these tactics are logical and may eventually lower the number of fatalities caused by younger drivers. However, there is no denying that P-plate drivers are being targeted. More experienced drivers also have accidents, which lead to fatalities. As a student at a Catholic school, I have often been taught the Christian ideal of loving one another, trying to avoid prejudice and discrimination. Why does it seem that the government is targeting all P-plate drivers, when in fact it is only a minority of drivers who are reckless? For some reason their names are used to label an entire generation of young drivers. Furthermore, there have been significant increases in the volume of traffic on the roads within the past ten years, which surely means that there is an increase in the number of accidents and indeed fatalities.

It is not only recklessness that causes accidents. There are factors such as fatigue, stress, nerves and weather conditions, as well as the actions of other drivers. One or a combination of these factors has contributed to many of the recent fatalities. Maybe we should be considering supplementary training for P-plate drivers to combat their inexperience in these conditions?

There will always be reckless, foolhardy individuals with no consideration for the lives of others, but they are not all young drivers. Many older, more experienced drivers also exhibit these same traits. Those who are reckless will continue to be reckless no matter how the laws change. So, maybe the Government should adopt a different attitude and avoid discriminating between experience and inexperience. Let us have our say because sometimes we, like you, just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Rebecca Shelton

Rebecca Shelton is a Year 12 student at St Mary's Campus, All Saints College, Maitland.