QLD Driver Licence New Rules Learners P Plates July 2007
January 9, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
The Phase one of the new QLD Driver Licence Laws comes into affect mid this year and so far there has been a great deal of confusion about the new laws. Previously this topic generated over 200 comments when it was posted here. So it was time to give it a new and fresh face with updated data and some actual facts from QLD transport.
The first phase will take effect from 1 July 2007 and includes:
- new requirements and conditions for obtaining and holding a learner licence
- new requirements for motorbike learner licence applicants
- new requirements and conditions for obtaining and holding a provisional licence
New learner licence
Changes for Queensland learner licence holders aged under 25 years of age include:
- Lowering the minimum age of obtaining a learner licence to 16 but lengthening the requirement to hold a learner licence to 12 months (currently 6 months). Learner licences will be valid for 3 years at no extra cost
- Gaining 100 hours of supervised on-road driving experience recorded and certified in a logbook, including 10 hours of night driving experience
- A ban on using a mobile phone, including the hands-free function
- A ban on supervisors and passengers using a mobile phone with a loudspeaker function
Changes for Queensland learner licence holders aged 25 years and over include:
- holding a learner licence for a minimum 12 month period (currently 6 months)
- the learner licence being valid for 3 years
- encouraging the learner driver to gain 100 hours of on-road driving experience (not mandatory)
Motorbike learner licence applicants (all ages):
- must hold a provisional car licence (class C/CA provisional licence) for 12 months prior to obtaining a motorbike learner licence (class RE)
- 100 hours recorded in a logbook
Before we move onto QLD transports justifications for the new laws, lets have a think about some of the above laws for a second. Firstly the 12 month learners period is not exactly a bad idea, but the 100 hours of driving training is a little steep. If you do not have a car to practice on, having 100 hours of recorded and logged driving lessons will mean that you will need 100 hours of driving. QLD transport says that it is willing to count the first 10 hours of driving lessons with a driving instruction as 30 hours, so for every 1 hour you are accredited 3 hrs. But that is only for the first 10 hours. The other 70 hours you will need to either do in your own car or pay for with a driving instructor. So if you don’t have you own car, it will cost you 80 hours of lessons, or at a cost of $40/hr = $3,200. QLD transport says that exceptions maybe given to those who can show why they should be except from this, whilst they come up with a support plan.
What will this lead to? Personally I think for those who have access to a parent or guardians car it will lead to a lot of “fake” recorded hours, and for those who don’t it will be a huge discouragement to gain their license. QLD transport says that any falsified log book records will be handed back with a penalty, but what I want to know, is how can they know what is and what is not falsified!? They simply can’t. So go ahead, ask your friends for some ‘lessons‘.
So lets move onto the mobile phones problem, a ban on mobile phones has been around for some time, but a ban on hands free is set to be introduced. Banning hands free bluetooth kits shows one very simply thing. QLD transport has no idea about technology.
QLD police are going to have a tough time trying to spot little bluetooth headsets in the left ear of P plater drivers. Furthermore, what about inbuilt bluetooth car kits? Not good. In otherwords you better not even talk when you are in the car since the police will give you a ticket as you might have been on your phone. In fact, you better not even sing along to your favourite song since that might get you booked.
What is even more ridiculous is the ban on speaker phones by passengers in a P plater car! I dont understand how there is a difference between talking to your passenger in a car, or talking to someone else over speaker phone which your passenger
is holding? After all, talking is talking isnt it? Would QLD government prefer all P platers to simply just not talk at all when they are driving? Perhaps new rules will require all P platers to have to cover their mouths as well? Absolutely ridiculous.
So now the log book,
What exactly do you have todo in the log book?
- Learner licence holders will be required to accrue and record their supervised driving experience, including 10 hours of mandatory night driving, in the logbook. (So 90hrs of day driving and 10hrs of night)
- Each entry must be verified by the supervising driver (from what I can gather, an Open license holder who has had their license for over a year is able “verify” this).
How will the logbook be used?
- Following completion, the logbook will be checked carefully and recorded by Queensland Transport. This must be completed before a learner driver can undertake a practical driving test. The logbook will be stored by Queensland Transport and may be used for research and evaluation purposes.
Can you get out of using a logbook, e.g. if you don’t have access to a car in the family to practice with?
- No word on this yet, QLD transport says information regarding exemptions will be available closer to 1 July 2007.
Where do you get an approved logbook from and how much will it cost?
- Logbooks will be available from Queensland Transport and licence issuing agencies. There will be a charge for the logbook to cover the cost of administering the logbook system. The cost and further information will be available closer to 1 July
2007.
What happens if I lose my logbook?
- You will be required to re-enter the details in a new logbook and have each entry certified by the supervising driver or driver trainer.
What happens if the information in the logbook is falsified by either the learner driver or the supervisor?
- Penalties will apply for falsifying logbooks.
What happens if I can’t access a supervisor and or a vehicle?
- Queensland Transport is currently investigating a range of programs to support learner drivers. Exemptions on a case by case basis will be available until the proposed support program for young drivers is in place.
What if I use a driver trainer?
- Each one hour of on-road experience with an accredited driver trainer will count as 3 hours of onroad experience, up to a maximum of 10 hours.
- Learners may undertake more than 10 hours with an accredited trainer however any accredited driver
training over the initial 10 hours will be counted hour for hour towards the required logged hours.
What happens if I’m a learner driver aged over 25 years of age?
- It is not mandatory you complete the logbook, however you are encouraged to gain 100 hours of onroad experience.
- A learner licence must be held for a minimum of 12 months.
What will happen to learner drivers who obtained their licence before 1 July 2007?
- Transitional arrangements will apply for learner drivers issued with a licence prior to this date.
- If a learner licence is renewed after 1 July 2007, the new rules will apply.
- It will not be necessary to complete a logbook if a learner licence was obtained before 1 July 2007, and
you do not have to renew your learner licence before passing a practical driving test.
L Plates
Am I still required to display L plates?
Yes. All learner licence holders must currently display an L plate on the front and rear of the vehicle
or cop a $120 fine. The L plate should measure at least 146mm by 146mm and show a black upper case letter ‘L’ clearly marked on a yellow background. There is no requirement for the sign to be reflective.
Mobile Phones
What are the new restrictions to mobile phone use?
To minimise distraction for young drivers under 25 years of age, learner licence holders can not use a mobile phone at any time while driving, including the use of hands free kits and blue tooth accessories.
Why are these changes being introduced?
Young drivers are at greater risk of distraction than more experienced drivers. Banning mobile phone use for learner drivers removes the potential for distraction.
Can supervisors or passengers use a mobile phone?
Supervisors and passengers of learner drivers under 25 years of age are prohibited from using a phone that is on loudspeaker but can use a hand held or hands free mobile phone where only a one-way conversation can occur and not distract the driver.
What happens if the young driver, passenger, or supervisor breaches the mobile phone restriction?
A penalty will apply. Details will be determined closer to the implementation date.
————————-
Okay so not that you’ve read all the BS from QLD transport, lets make some sense of it all.
I still have to start with my favourite, the Mobile phone load speaker and bluetooth ban. So now that you can’t use your phone and your friend next to you can’t put it on loud speaker so that you can hear it, your friend becomes the loud speaker. He is now the middle man who will talk for you, you tell him what you want to say and he will say it and then give you the response that he recieved, sounds stupid? It is.
My biggest recommendation is that all of you who are eligable to get your learners before July 2007, todo so NOW. don’t put it of any longer, get your learners now! And for those of you still on your learners get your license before July, just go and do it, It will save you a lot of headache come July!
I am keen to see what these new programs that are set to support young drivers that cant afford to pay $3,200 simply to get the 100 hour of log book training are going to be! I am hoping that QLD transport will provide cars for drivers to borrow free of cost, or perhaps create a defensive driving course scheme whereby young drivers can choose to undergo a few defensive driving courses which will count as sufficient experience to get their license.
The thing that annoys me the most is the exception for drivers over 25 to not have to undergo the 100 hour log booking. I can see a lot of 20+ adults who currently dont hold license will see this as an easy way to simply just wait till they are 25 than go for their license. These laws are discrimination against young drivers. These rules need to apply to all or none.
All in all these laws are set to make life hell for young drivers and I wish all of you the best of luck. But do not worry, there are people like us who are writing and complaining and doing as much as we can to let the government know these new laws will not save any lives. For the parents of kids reading this thinking these laws are a great idea, perhaps you should go and retake your driving test after these new laws come into affect, and don;t be surprised when you fail.
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I agree that there should be no discrimination between learner drivers under and over the age of 25. Age doesn’t make you a better driver, nor is it necessarily a measure of a persons maturity! Just because 5% of the younger population want to go out and kill themselves, shouldn’t mean that the remaining 95% should be penalised.
My question to QT is this: If a Driving Instructor works your average 9am – 5pm work day, how will a Learner get ‘night driving’ experience? Blindfolds? Dark window tint?
Next question: If a person is unco-ordinated, perhaps has a low IQ or a really slow reac…tion time; why does it matter whether they’re over a certain age or not?
And one more: Can I meet the marketing guru who told the Minister for Transport that he can make more money from raping the low-income earners (younger population) for more cash that they don’t have. Think about that next time you order a Pizza and try not to choke on the ingredients. You might find that the kid working for his measely $12 / hr doesn’t care for your excuses…
Perhaps the government can invest some more of my hard earner tax payer dollars actually looking for a solution that benefits a majority of the population, instead of shovelling it into their own pockets, like the greedy F***S that they are!
Agreed with every point you made.
~~BREAKING NEWS~~
NSW P Plate Panel recommend to stop P platers from having passengers in the car from 11pm to 5 am.
~~REALITY CHECK~~ (!!!!)
Vast majority of P Plate Drivers are teens. This is an age where partying, staying up late and hanging with friends is standard behaviour. This is my take on the “suggestions”:
1. NSW P Plate Panel encourages drink driving by stopping the effectiveness of a designated driver in teenagers
2. NSW P Plate Panel encourages more P Plate Drivers on the road between the hours of 11pm and 5 am (most dangerous for driving) by stopping carpooling to and from late night activities
3. What teen has enough money to afford petrol for their car by themself for every single night they go out? “Thank you Mr Government” says Mr Oil Tycoon
FURTHERMORE >> What if a young teen is driving mum’s Tarago to said party and 4 of their friends are drunk and can’t get home and they are in any of 100 random suburbs in Sydney where late night public transport is inexistent?
Teen responds with “Sorry but you can sit on the gutter drunk with nothing to do but get charged by police for indecent exposure when you take a leak on the side of the road an hour later”
Enough said!
QUESTION…
do the new laws still apply if you have obtained your p’s before july 2007.
the new laws for p plate drivers are just ridiculous.
alot of young people today have children, myself for instance…
i have a one year old daughter and my partner and i work in different areas. i go for my p’s in late february and my partner doesnt have a license.
if these rules do apply to me how am i meant to get me partner to work and my daughter to daycare all around the same time with the new passanger restrictions.
i only have one child but i cant imagine what it’d be like for people who have 3 or 4 kids.
how are we meant to live.
yes i agree there are a high number of driving related accidents involving young drivers but compared to the amount of young people who are acctualy on thr road, it works out to be what… about 5percent of us that are willing to risk ours and other peoples life.
so what about the other 90percent.
we havnt done anything wrong and therefore should not be penalised.
and i want to know why transport only advertises the road problems involving youths… 7 out of the people i know 10 people i know that have been involved in car accindents are over 25, and the three young people i know that have been in accinents were unlicenced and in the company of so called responsible adults at the time… WHAT DO THOSE STATISTICS SAY TO YOU
Well i just have pity on my younger brother and sister who will be subjected to these horrific new laws.
I totally agree with anthony about the NSW laws. I’m 16 so I can’t drive yet and when I go out with my mates I always get a lift home. Suprise suprise there’s usually a full car. So what happens when my mate is only allowed to drive one of us home. Our parents sure aren’t going to get us, the buses don’t take us home during daylight hours let alone late at night. What are we supposed to do stay there and risk getting beaten up or sexually assualted by some random walking passed at 1am? Or just not go out at all which makes us less active and more depressed. More likely to sit at home in front of the tv. Now that’s a little hypocritical when you think about other current government “Initiatives”. We want our children to be more active but we’re going to make this impossible by cutting off their way of getting home. Go figure! What makes it even more funny is the parents who are totally for these new laws. Yet if they were 30ish with 16 year old kids. I’m sure they would be telling their kids that they wished they were older so when they went out drinking they could come and get them so they weren’t drink driving. Stopping P platers from carpooling with more than one person is going to put more P platers on the road and in turn more cars. This will then lead to more pollution and probably more accidents. Stop looking at the small picture which is clearly only drawn by the minority and start taking into account the actions of the people who don’t want to die. Funny thing is it’s called the majority. Sucks doing the right thing huh!
Okay so i have a question, because the above kind of confused me more than answered the single question i wanted answered lol.
I get my learners licence on the 5th of March 2007. So because i will still have my learners when the new laegislation comes into place in July 2007, do i have to hold it for 12 months as the new law states or 6 months like you do at the moment?
Thanks :)
yea i’m in a similar boat to emma. i’ve just gotten my learners. so wat’s the go about how long i have my learners for and such?
i have a question i could have gone for my learners on the 9th of january but i was away and i have been told that even if i get my learners now i will have to go along with the new laws is this true?
thanks
In response to the couple of questions regarding learner age groups. As long as you get your L’s before the new laws come into place those laws don’t affect you. (I’m going to really scrape it close, i can’t get my L’s till June 26th)
well i want to know what type of cars we can own on our l’s. ex: V6, V8, 4 cil, 6 cil.
all i wanna know is im gettin my ps in august 5th this year and will i be able to drive a turbo? i heard that im aloud to drive 1.6 or lower ltrs with a turbo? can some1 fill me in b4 i buy my car.. im gettin my learners in a coupla days and so the law wont effect me or will it?
I get my P’s on the 30th of January (this Month) and will have them for 5 months when these new rules come in. Will i be able to drive a V8 or is everyone with their P’s included with this law
Is there any adjustment for young people who now won’t be able to get their p’s until later. Example – my son would have qualified for his L’s on the 10th July, had them for 6 months and then be elligible to go for his p’s when he turns 17 (Jan 2008). Under new rules he must have his L’s for 12mths so effectively can’t go for his p’s until he is 17 1/2 (July 2008) – increasing the time he is dependant on us for transport. Is there some sort of compromise for those caught up in the transition period?
VERY Frustrating… it is ridiculus that they do this change in the middle of the year.. so half my friends dont get affected by the rules but i do..
well ill have my L’s before July, but the P rules will still apply to me?? will they apply to everyone ?? or just the people that get them after July..
and does anyone know what the penalty is for driving on your L’s with no one else in the car??
would be great if i could get an answer.. i have msger
chubbs_x@hotmail.com
i have msger too rickee.knowz.yooh@hotmail.com
i did go to qld transport today they said that same thing happen last year they intro’d all these laws but it didnt end up happening! becos nothing wa set out and prepared and that the gov hasnt told them nothing on the laws and stuff.. cos i wanna know what car i can drive and not.. so fingers crossed there guys and gurlS!!!!!! :D:D:D:D lets hope there not prepared again hehehehe!
You have made some very good points. Its discusting how the law expects us to pay this 3,200 dollars if we dont have a car yet they do not place in any free driving courses to teach our young people how to drive properly. If they cared so much they would have put in more then just new laws but also facilities to support the new laws. ANd did you know all these new laws have been adopted from America! WHat is this are they trying to make this country like america. What i would like to know is that if i wait for myself to be 16 and 6 months old then go for my learners.. which will be after july 1 will the new laws apply to me ?? Or shuld i just go for them july 1 anyways>?
I got my learners on september 30 2006. I could get my P’s on the 9th of January but I was away and I now have them scheduled for the 23rd of february. If i get my P’s on my first try before the laws come in, will I have to wear P plates after July 1st and do I still need to do the “hazardous objects perception test”? what a load of bull! I’m making the most of my 5 months of freedom before the new laws come in. I hope their not organised like last time, they certaintly don’t appear to be.
Please answer my Q’s thnx!
I turn 16 and a half on the 29 of june, so if i get my L’s on that date will it still count as coming in under the old legislation or will they say that I have to come in under new legislation?
Cheers.
I would like an answer to Bob’s question please. My daughter turned 16 in January 2007 and will not be able to get her provisional license until 17 1/2 ; at least that’s my understanding. If I am correct in assuming this then I consider the new laws discriminatory. Will this be corrected?
I would like an answer, say i get my learner’s on March 10th are these new laws going to affect me? And say i get my p’s in August how long do i have to keep them for? As well as what kind of cars are we allowed to drive?
Thanks
Hey umm i can get my learners on march the 3rd(thats when i am 16 1/2) i know the learners new rules wont apply to me but then i wont be able to get my P’s until october so will the new rules apply to me…
i hope not:(
thanks hope i get an answer back soon:)
hey im only 15 turning 16 on june 21st and well i cant wait to get my L’s i mean seriously the sooner u get on the road the better. And yeah my parents have a car i can use and just about everyone in my year level has one to borrow from there parents. I encourage this system!
its a friggin load ov crap the new rules. a person is just as lykly to kill themself in a shitbox then thay are in a turbo ……. i just bought a turbo charged toyota supra and i will get my p’s afta july 1st wil i have to trade in my car ?
He myname is melanie.. and i have a really big problem.. i am born on january 14 1991.. and that means i turn 16 and a half july 14…. this is not fair to me that i loose 6 months of driving.. is there any thing i can do to come under the old laws? i will be almost 16 and half when the new laws come in and u only have to be 16.. really not far.. im so angry at the moment? is there any one i can go to, so that i can get my licece on july 14 and be under the old laws.. please help me.. the new laws are stupid.. and the people who made them are even stupider! what if familys dont have this kind of money for log books and things.. did they think of any of this!… NO!… so i think the governemt needs to sit down and shut up.. beacus i am bloody 16 and im thinking straighter… please give me some advise..
from melanie
hey guys, i just got my l’s the other day and was wondering if these stupid laws applied to me? these laws will not reduce the amount of carnage on our roads
i am 16 in april this year and therefore 16 1/2 in october of this year is possible for me to be considered in the old system? if not is it fair that i lose aprrox 3 months of drinving time just because of the date i was born? this seems unfair?
this is stupid why dont the make L platers reduce there speed by 5 km from the actul speed limt. viva la communism
Hey umm i can get my learners on march the 3rd(thats when i am 16 1/2) i know the learners new rules wont apply to me but then i wont be able to get my P’s until october so will the new rules apply to me…
i hope not:(
thanks hope i get an answer back soon:)
Ok please for anyone who is asking questions about P’s and L’s read this….
http://www.transport.qld.gov.a.....Feb_07.pdf
and
http://www.transport.qld.gov.a....._Jan07.pdf
if these links dont work then go to http://www.transport.qld.gov.a.....g_drivers/
and scroll down…….
**if you get ur P’s BEFORE 1 July 2007 the new P rules WONT affect you…**
**if you get ur P’s AFTER 1 July 2007 then YES they WILL affect you!!!**
For all those getting P’s Before 1 July (or who have them), then you will still be able to drive High Performance!!! If you get them after then you’re as the whoever say FUCKED…u’ll have to wait until ur on ur opens
(sorry if this has already been said…)
Mr Lucas!! i really dont think you know what your talking about!! pff made hard decisions.. they’ve only been hard because they’re fukn stupid!! leave everything the way it is!! or just dont make rediculous shit up.. your probly all old farts anyway, you wuould of been young once so let us live in a world without the shit use never had to put up with!! All these new rules all the time are fukn bullshit! stop trying to be like other countries around the world.. for fuk sake this is australia, spose to be one of the best countries in the world but the government is just fuking it up for the youth of today!
I turn 16 and a half during the trasition period and annoyed that i might lose time that i could be driving in.
this is the only information i found on the government site and it makes no sense to me. could someone explain what it mean please?
What happens if I turn 16½ before 31 December
2007?
Anyone turning 16 ½ yrs between 25 June 2007 and
31 December 2007 will be able to apply to get their
provisional driving licence provided they;
· have held their learners licence for at least
6 months
· have gained 100 hours supervised driving
experience or equivalent
· are 17 years of age
· have passed a practical driving test
Hey all, just wondering, when it means turbocharged vehicles does that count for diesel vehicles or just petrol???
hey, i just turned 16 on the 9th of feb… what does that mean for me with the new laws, the new laws say i can get my “L’s” when i turn 16 but the laws are not out yet. do i just have to wait or is there a way of getting my L’s now.
hey i have just turn 16 and i was wournding if i go under the new law or the old law because i should go under the old law and only have it for 6 mounths can some one plzs explain what will happen to me because with the old law i can get my l’s in august but the new law comes in july please explain it to me
I’ve just gotten my P plates. I’m a welfare worker and I need my car to kart my clients about. My question is this , do i need to display “P” plates? To me it’s a big target for the cops here in Brisbane that love to stalk young drivers! Thats said I’m 36!
Also, I need my mobile phone as it is important to call home base and my clients as well, I do have a hands free set for it. I’m worried that this law about phones and driving will affect my work. Am I to pull over and answer my phone every time I’m called? if this is the case I may never get my work done!
Also, I’ve just gotten a 97 Holden Commodore v6. How is these new rules with regards to power of the engine and P plate drivers going to affect me?
Any help would be great. Thanks for your assistance
Guy
To Jellybear
I had a quick look at those websites that you listed.
Thank you for that, as a result of looking up the mentioned sites i shall not be required to display the dreaded “P” plates.
Now as for my mobile phone, Hmm I guess I shall just have to be rather sneaky.
Happy & safe driving folks! :)
how does the new law apply to people who we’re born before july 1 and are turning 16 before july 1.does this mean we have to retain our learners for a year or 6 months.
how does the new law apply to people who we’re born before july 1 and are turning 16 before july 1.does this mean we have to retain our learners for a year or 6 months.
you
only have to have your learners till your 17 regardless of how you look at it.
born before june 31st?
you get your learners on july 1
and until you are 17
congratulations.
BORN AFTER july 1?
you get your learners on your birthday and have to have it for a year.
yes new rules apply to all who go into july on learners or p’s
yes they are pretty gay
still get learners earlier than usual.
Hey to any1 who will read this/reply. I think the new system is gonna b F***ing S***!!! Anyway can sum 1 explain 2 me, if I get my licence b4 July 1st do I hav to go by the new L plate laws? And what r the P plate laws?
i am on my p plates. wat will happen to me wen the new law comes in
i was wondering if u miss out by a month if you can still go 4 ur normal laws or if people are aloud to arrange something
i know form expiriance that the log book thing is a pain in the back side as i gained my licence in NSW where by i had to obtain 100 Hours of driving xp before getting my my P’s.
I am now 21 and on my open licence but i must say i was living by myself and was at TAFE during my 12 months on my L’s. Supprisingly 100 hours can be accomplished very easly, Think of it this way, say 10 mins to school or work, 10 mins back that is 20 mins per day over 20 day in a month there is almost 4 hours by 12 months there is 40 hours, + your 10 hrs = 30 hrs for licenced driving instructor supervised driving that make 70 hours, a lot of communities put on driver awarness programs that i am suree will no doubt includ a number o ree driving lessons, i know i did one for $45 and got 5 hours free lessons, that would make 75 hrs.
Most parents are concerned about the exess on the car for insurance, tell them to SHOP AROUND, AAMI offer no age exess or Lerner divers, I beleve NRMA also offer the same thing.
think of it this way as well QLD trans i giving everyone a 6 months head start on all other L platers in QLD as you can get your L’s at 16 as of July 1.
All else ails to gain that extra 25 – 30 hours most o us have either older bothers and sisters or uncles or ants or grandparents or parents, there is absolutly no reason why the 100 hours cannot be reached within 9 months if you have family or friends that support you and trust you.
QLD is one fo only 2 states in the country to not implement this already and is still the one o 2 state that at this point do not require P platers to display.
the best thing that could be done in my opinion is a high school based driver training or a defensive driving course but making another financial burden on teens and families is a joke.
Education is the answer.
We cant stop people killing themselves in cars but we can give them the opportunity to think differently, resulting in acting differently?
i got me ls and im happy as it is cool man lol i luv trippin in the car
lol im muhumad joseph and i love car bombsand i got the munchies man in goin for a drive to kfc
People born of the 29/12/1990 hve only one chance to gte their L. Unlesss there is an exemption allowed?
I LOVE SEX!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE SEX!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!
^
You might love it, but you dont get it….consensual at least.
i have a major problem with the new laws. i was born on the 4th of january 1991, this mean that i will be 16.5 on the 4th of july 2007 (effing hell >.