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NSW P-Platers Banned from Mobile Phones (handsfree)

By Alborz Fallah |

So as the NSW government considers introducing the Zero Tolerance P plater laws, they have already agreed to pass a new restriction on P-PLATERS. When this new law is passed late march or early april, all P platers will be banned from using mobile phones while driving. Now this might not come as big news since mobile phones have been banned for some time, but this new law doesn’t just target mobile phones but also Bluetooth, earpieces or hands-free devices will be outlawed in P-plated vehicles.

The phone ban will mean first-year drivers caught texting or talking on mobile phones more than once will automatically lose their license. The only way P platers will be able to call friends and family will be when they are pulled over to the side of the road with the vehicle stopped and the engine off. The sad thing is, you actually have to turn the engine off, cause a possible road hazard in order to answer an important call, even if you have a bluetooth car kit.

What I really want to know though, is how are the police going to monitor inbuilt and wired in bluetooth mobile phone systems? All new high end vehicles come with built in mobile phone integration technology. Are the police going to simply start pulling over any young driver who is talking in their vehicle? What about Australian idol wannabes singing in their cars? What about those of us who talk to ourselves?

The NSW government, like other governments has gone crazy with the P-plater restrictions, this is mainly due to the rising death toll of P platers with a near 30% increase in 2006 (94). So since the high powered car restrictions have no worked, they are trying to come up with more intuitive ways of stopping P platers accidents. Unfortunately, again, this isn’t one of them!

The Government argues that banning the use of mobile phones completely was based on a concern there were are too many distractions in the car. I dont know about you, but I always find that trying to change the song on an iPod connected to a car stereo far more destracting than talking on a bluetooth handsfree headset to my friends?

“There is a dramatically increased risk of accident when a young driver uses a mobile phone while driving,” NSW Government.

Although there is some good news. Yesterday I wrote about the Zero Point P Plater restrictions and discussed the illogical form of driving these restrictions would bring to all new drivers and thankfully the NSW road minister (Mr Roozendaal) seems to agree, a little.

“There are difficulties with that because people need to realise that now P-platers have their licence for three years, young kids need to take some responsibility for their own actions and indeed their families need to be reinforcing to them the dangers of acting in a silly or reckless way.”he said.

Former NRMA director Richard Talbot (Now president of the Motor Action Group) agreed that the proposed zero tolerance laws will be unfair on young drivers.

“We believe it could be very unfair on both the P-platers and their families.” he said

Another day in NSW, another new law to stop P platers from killing themselves. I am sure in 12 months time i will be here writing about the failure of these laws and about the introduction of some even stricter laws! Perhaps in 2008 the NSW government will introduce a 50km maximum speed limit for P platers? Or maybe all P platers should always be accompanied by a open license holder for the first year?


 
  • Peter

    I think it’s a good idea. Bluetooth/other handsets only deal with the physical distraction of a phonecall, not the mental. It’s also up to the driver to find a space to pull over to answer the phone, or to make a call. You also don’t have to answer the phone.

  • http://blog.chrisduran.eu Chris

    By the same token – passengers should also be banned? Maybe radios should be banned too – they are distracting – especially those pesky talkback types.

    “There is a dramatically increased risk of accident when a young driver uses a mobile phone while driving,” NSW Government.

    I bet there is a bloody decent increased risk of accident when OPEN licenced drivers use their phones too – all or none guys, seriously.

  • Jess

    I also think it is unfair, at least let P Platers pull over the car, without turning the motor off. I also noticed that these days, there are barely ANY places to pull over. There are no options anymore…
    Also, families may like to keep track of their son/daughter P Plater while they are driving to check they are okay.

    And…lets ask the question…The RTA ARE the people giving people these licences, and most people are very bad drivers. I think They should be looking more at the Asian drivers than P platers. Asians are horrific drivers, maybe due to their eyes being half closed all the time. They should be monitered and picked on like us P platers.

  • Luke Benson

    Anything to stop these p-plate idiots from causing even more accidents is a good idea. They should:

    Give P platers only 1 point, that’s it, if they even go over the speed limit once, go through a stop sign whilst texting, or drink drive once they lose their license permanently and have to go through the whole learn to drive thing again.

    My wife and daughter were killed last year when one of these idiots ploughed into them going way over the speed limit.

    People that complain the laws are too tough have never themselves being a direct or indirect victim of the insuing crime.

    • Andrew

      I don’t think it’s fair to paint all P-Platers with the same brush. While obviously what has happened to you is terrible, not all drivers on P-Plates are maniacs. By the same token, not all drivers that have been driving for 20+ years are angels.

      I agree that something needs to be done about the road toll, but threatening drivers with massive fines until all they do is look at the speedo in between glimpses of the road is probably not the right thing. Clearly, the learning process needs to be more detailed. I think the one year/100 hrs that they have to do in QLD is about right, but driving with Mum and Dad for 85 of those 100 hours isn’t going to produce the safest drivers around. Maybe a few defensive driving courses where they teach you what excess speed does to cornering? I can’t imagine 19 year old Britney really properly understands the relationship between under/oversteer and speed.

  • Howie-R31

    Luke,
    So your saying, give them 1 point. If they are driving, for example, a car at 80km (which they are restricted to) but the tyre size is a little bigger on their car than what it was brought out with, and they are actually doing 83km/hr, they should then lose their licence there and then?

  • James

    Regardless of those tough laws, dodgy P-Platers could simply abandon their cars for as if they never had the license until they are promoted to full license drivers. however those people will be more dangerous than ever due to lack of practice behind wheels!

  • Bart

    It’s paternalism gone mad. The regulations are getting ridiculous and responsible middle aged P-platers with a lot of driving experience who just happen to come from one of the “non-recognised” countries are unfairly victimized.