Drivers over 70 and young people 17-25 have at least two things in common. Each age group is overrepresented in road accidents and each age group drives older cars that are less safe than average. Read More
From an early age, children learn they must share their toys. Many parents feel uncertain about sharing the family car with their kids. Even so, buying them a car might not be the safest option. To share or not to share – we look at the pros and cons of sharing your vehicle with your kids, including the cost of greenslips. Read More
Learning to drive is still a rite of passage for some. Even though young people tend to delay the day they start driving lessons, most will get their drivers licence eventually. Find out how you move from Ls to P1s and P2s in the graduated licensing scheme and finally, to the freedom of an unrestricted licence. Read More
It’s not unusual to see parents in a shiny new car while their teenagers drive an old bomb. With what we know about safety, it makes no practical sense. Teenagers are among the riskiest drivers, especially when on P plates. They also crash at four times the rate of adults and their older, smaller cars don’t protect them. Read More
The word gig economy first described the rise of insecure contract work, rather than permanent full time jobs. Now even relationships, AirBnB, social media and subscription-style entertainment reflect lack of permanence or commitment. So it makes sense that young people do not seem interested in owning – or even driving – cars. Read More
Earlier this year the NSW government ran a 6-month trial of telematics with young volunteer drivers in Western Sydney. Results show telematics installed in vehicles helped improve driving skills and could potentially boost road safety. These findings also reflect the global trend towards offering usage based insurance to all vehicle owners. Read More
Parents of older teenagers may relate to that feeling of trepidation as they drive alone for the first time on P plates. Unfortunately, young drivers are more likely to be in old cars. Four fifths of young people under 20 who died in a car crash were in vehicles that were more than 10 years old. Should we be putting young people behind the wheel of old cars? Read More
Young drivers do take risks while driving. The NSW government works with many sporting bodies to spread road safety messages like Towards Zero and Slow Down. One partnership is with the Western Sydney Wanderers. This is particularly designed to reach men 17 to 29, who are more likely to be injured or die in a crash. Read More
Novice drivers need to know about three changes to graduated licensing in NSW starting from 20 November 2017. These changes apply to learner, P1 and P2 drivers.
Since 1 December 2016, P-plate licence holders in NSW are banned from using mobile phones at all while driving.