Car confiscation in new P-plater plan
5 Jan, 2009
37 Comments 
A new plan will be put to the New South Wales government that will allow police to confiscate cars from P-platers for three months if they are caught driving more than 20km/h over the speed limit.
The proposal follows five serious P-plater accidents in as many days, one of which resulted in the death of a 15-year-old Bondi girl.
It has already gained the support of Superintendent John Hartley, head of the police traffic command in New South Wales.
Mr Hartley has already discussed the plan with the Roads and Traffic Authority, arguing that a curfew and passenger restrictions introduced in 2006 for provisional drivers wasn’t enough.
This latest development aimed at reducing the death toll of young drivers on our roads is yet another hit-and-miss campaign which relies upon consequences rather than action.
It seems the only way officials can envisage safer roads for our younger drivers is by keeping them off it – hardly the makings of more competent and experienced future road users.
Meanwhile vital driver training centres continue to operate without any form of substantial government support, with our new drivers instead proving their worth at parallel parking before being allowed behind the wheel solo.
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January 5th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Why is it that the powers that be are so reluctant to push for better training of drivers?? I mean curfew this restrict that, confiscate and crush all sound tough but do nothing to change the mental attitude or awareness of drivers (young or old). Let’s stop the cash cow speed kills mentality, get more Hi-Vis patrol cars on the road and actually curb the incidents of people breaking the law.
Vote:Then, instead of kids saving money to go and get “****faced” at schoolies, spend the money on driver training schools
January 5th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
“Is this a 60 zone dude?” – “No idea man, I pulled onto this road from a side turning” – Police pull P plater, it was a school zone, bam, car gone.
This will prevent no fatalities. None.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Dont just single out P platers. They are not the only stupid drivers out there.
When they make rules especially for P-Platers, they forget about all the full licensed drivers who are caught drink driving and all the ‘full license’ drivers who have been off their P’s for a week.
Dont tell me that just because you take those plates off, you automatically become a safe driver…
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
What a ridiculous idea. A moments distraction and you miss a 80 zone becoming 60; cars gone. The NSW Government is a morally bankrupt disgrace.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Have to agree with the comments made, and the tone of the article.
Speed Kills this and confiscate that is all well and good for raising money but at the end of the day people – young and old – simply are not trained in how to drive.
All any one is trained to do is pass the test, which as I see it is a running joke.
How about real driver training in real cars on real roads? It’s time to get serious about this.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
THE AGE OLD JOKE,
why do so many people overtake l-plate drivers???
cause no-one can catch them once they’ve got their p’s…
go on then,take mum and dad’s car..not worry about driver education…
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I do believe in confiscating cars from people who are speeding, though not just p’platers and the measily speed of 20km/h over. It should be any driver at 40 or 50km/h over, that way you wont get you car taken off you if you miss a 70km/h sign (from a 100 zone).
As i said in previous posts, i have said we should have to get to a certain level of skill before we are allowed on the roads with parents (guardians), such as driver draining before we get our l’plates so we get taught good habbits befoe wego out and get taught bad ones.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Frontman, your answer is obvious. They make money from Draconian speed limits, rules and their enforcement, they would need to spend money for driver training courses. 2ndly, no government wants to admit that their policies for reducing road trauma have been a dismal failure (hence the road toll this season), so they must continue as is and slap bigger and bigger penalties.
All AU governments are awash with cash from infringements, and while they keep on getting it and BUDGETING for it (NSW budgeted $330 Mil 08/09) it will remain in place as an essential revenue stream. If you knew that your speeding fine went into safer roads and driver training, you would feel better, but instead it goes into general revenue.
Remember, safe driving should start at home, send you wife, kids or yourself on a driver training course.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
its a catch 22 situation – because there are a number of young drivers on our roads who and already think that they have the driving skills of Mark Skaife of Michael Schumacher..
However; to make them do an advanced driver training course will will do nothing except boost their ego and make them think that they can take their stupidity to the next level. Because they have a certificate.
You can’t legislate against stupidity – if you could; not only would 1.000s of hoons be in gaol…but the politicians and beareaucrats who come up with these half arsed ideas as well
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Thats part of the problem – due to the continuous roadworks etc the RTA in their infinite wisdom have decided to have roadside speed signs which are strategically placed behind trees and telegraph posts or among other “drowsy drivers die” and “stop revive survive” signs adding to the visual pollution.
Whereas years ago the speed limit used to be painted on the road – which is where the drivers attention is supposed to be isn’t it?
The other problem is that the speed limits are unrealistic like they expect you to do 60Km/h up/down Mt Victoria Pass in the Blue Mountains which is unsafe considering how many trucks use the Great Western Highway.. it should be more like 80km/h..
Then theres areas where on motorways where you’re doing 100Km/h and it suddenly changes to 60Km/h – a progressive increase/decrease would be much safer.
Not to mention that there is no car in Australia [as far as I know] which has 50 70 90 110Km/h clearly marked on the speedometer – so drivers are left guessing..
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Confiscating cars is wrong because you are penalising other members of the family for the stupidity and of one particular family member..
I suggest that before teenagers are allowed to take a drivers test they take an I.Q and an aptitude test to see if they have the mental capacity and abiility of reasoning that is can think things through logically, rationally and are aware of the possible outcomes or consequences etc.. Because even though they may be 16 there are a considerable number of teenagers [mostly male] who would infact have the mental age of a 6 year old.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
New South Wales is Australia’s police state. It’s unbelievable in a free country that the government would confiscate (or even consider crushing) one of the most expensive items of someone’s private property for exceeding the speed limit by 20km/h.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Just an interesting thought so five p platers are killed and thay wont to take there cars for a minor affences.How many of those 55 people killed over the holidays were p platers.Yeh thats right just shows how stupid thay are when thay just give out kneejerk new laws.Why not just take every ones car off them for speeding then there gos all are congestion on our roads thay will be all empty
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I agree with the idea but the speed needs to be extended 40Km/H + over the limit. There is no reson to be travelling at these speeds unless you belong to the emergency services and are on duty.
Vote:Also would like to see a national approach to road safety initiatives. We should all be on the same page with safety.
January 5th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
another typical polition corruption in wa its all about banning turbo,v8,supercharged n modified 6’s thats gonna do nothing hit a tree at 100 in a 4cly or a turbo or v8 n ur still gonna hav a high risk of death mayb it would b safer to b in a turbo or v8 as they are larger cars unlike a 4cyl which is a death trap
Vote:and to take a p platers car off them ovr 20k so not onli hoon laws but they will have p plater laws this is a bit age descriminatve isnt it
January 5th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I’m a P-Plater, and honestly, this will do nothing. Those who speed at over 20kmh will continue to speed, whilst those making innocent mistakes will continue to be punished unfairly.
According to our Personal Development course in year 10, the elderly are more likely to cause fatal accidents, yet P-Platers are the constant target of the media. How often do you see a three or four car pile up and hear a P plater was involved regardless of who was at fault.
120 hours and turbo restrictions achieve nothing. I did the 120 in six months, got a 100% in the driving test and have still gotten myself in to scary sittuations. I’m just glad my car has ESP. There needs to be more proffesional training not useless restrictions that simply try to take young drivers off the road. It wont solve any thing, it will just delay it!
And as a sidenote, what happens if little johnny takes daddies car and gets caught 20 over?
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
That’s alright -don’t worry about teaching them how to drive, just confiscate their cars, yeah, of course.
I could bet money that this was thought off by some cop brainiac – those people have no brain to think of anything else but policing approach – training, what’s that, just arrest people, or confiscate their vehicles.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Problem is that the SPEED LIMITS ARE TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LOW.
If the speed limits are realistic then 99% of us law abiding citizens would not exceed the speed limits, and there would be no need for this idiotic anti-hoon type of laws, which are there just to please the media and people watching the news.
Driving a motor vehicle is the MOST DANGEROUS ACTIVITY majority of citizens will ever do, and governments allow people on the roads with zero or no serious training, no wonder road toll has stabilised at the current levels.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Why don’t they confiscate the cars of people that drive at 20km/h BELOW the speed limits, the offence is as bad if not more dangerous, making everyone around them to avoid them, overtake them, lose their temper.
I see so many retards on the roads that drive 40 in an 80, 30 through corners in a 100, that drive 45-55 in a 100 and then they drive past 5-6 slow vehicle bays without pulling in.
Where is the bloody police to pull those wankers off the roads, usually driving some clapped up 4WD, in their 50’s usually.
Shocking driver skills, and if you overtake them they usually swerve in your lane.
For me this kind of selfish driving behaviour that I see every weeekend on Victorian country roads is tantamount to an attempted murder, but don’t worry, cops never touch these losers.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Jester – As far as I am aware there is no law that specifically states that its illegal to drive below the speed limit.. the only thing the police can do is pull them over and give them a warning or ask them to speed up to keep traffic going
I mean its the same as fining pedestrians who meander across the road at a pedestrian crossing or impounding slow moving animals like lizards etc crossing the road
It’s up to all drivers on the road to be aware of weather conditions; road surfaces etc as well as other cars around them and make the necessary adjustments in relation to speed etc and take evasive action.
If you are approaching a slower moving vehicle you should slow down and when safe to do so change lanes to pass them… afterall that’s what the steering wheel is for
What about drivers who change lanes when approaching red traffic lights – thereby halving your braking distances and increasing the chanes of an accident [particularly when they do it infront of a truck] sure its stupid; dangerous even but ints not illegal.
Vote:January 5th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Don’t worry about it – not a single car will ever be crushed. The government hasn’t got the gonads to destroy anybodys property because they are scared of the legal consequences.
Vote:There are plenty of drivers out there ( of varying ages and skill levels) who destroy their own cars anyway – trouble is they often destroy an innocent party in the process. Think the two nobs who killed the old couple on the highway at St Marys – at least one of them grew a brain cell and topped himself.
Dadd.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Maybe it’s me against the world here but I think this is a good idea except it should be 30Km instead of 20Km, and it should be applied to everybody, not just P-Platers. However, I think P-Platers should be given only half of merit points of the full license during their probation period so they could value their license more.Also they shouldn’t be allowed to drive high power cars such as V8s,they should only allowed to drive small cars like Yaris,Jazz,Getz.. lol..This is not exaggerated but 7 out of 10 of P-Platers that I see everyday while driving are speeding.It’s not unusual to see they do 30-40 Km/h over the speed limit. They are just too young to realise the speeding consequences for themself,their relatives, and other road users.
Vote:January 6th, 2009 at 12:12 am
yea max im a p plater my self and learnt how to drive in a xr6t and now drive a au falcon saying that all p platers shouldnt b able to drive v8\’s n turbos isnt gonna solve anything 5 min after p platers are off their licences they will just by a v8 or turbo any way will cause more accidents in the young age groupe of 19-20 as they will b able to buy those sorts of cars mayb reserict the car companys from producing such high powered cars
Vote:and also like someone else said that their can b a four car pile up n even if the p plater didnt cause it they get blamed by the media n gov
January 6th, 2009 at 1:36 am
Name Required (the P plate boy racer) – did you text your comment in by any chance?
Vote:Do you know what 60kmh means by any chance??
January 6th, 2009 at 3:17 am
What a narrow minded tunnel vision approach by the trustees of our roads.
Why don’t they actually act on U.S., European government,university studies from overseas that show speed is generally the cause of only 5% of fatalities and not the major factor in accidents.
Take on proven methods from other countries that have the lowest road tolls and have some of the highest speed limits(or none)in use.
Tired ideas give poor results and its really time that that we had some brave fresh ideas from our elected politicians to save lives.
By the way also interesting to note that the latest research shows that speed cameras actually INCREASE accidents in the vicinity of there location.
For those on this forum who with full respect support this knee jerk idea please google some of the latest studies and see how you have been conditioned to think a certain way.
Vote:January 6th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Gents
Vote:I think you have all missed the point. In these enlightened days, its all about managing how you raise your revenue streams and how you put the spin on it. read todays papers wheheby 42 vehicles have been “confiscated so far this year. At 600 bucks a pop, that’s around $25k so far this year, excluding wehatever other fines they could pin on the drivers. They are making a collecticve meal out of it. Where is the $$$$$$s from government for educations of drivers?
January 6th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
yea Cupid Stunt i do, i dont speed i use cruse control dunno if u know what that is or anything but i sit on the posted speeds
Vote:plus its unfair to ban v8’s n turbos as its only because a small amount of p platers that their are these pathetic rules
January 6th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
NSW have some of the most outdated draconian road rules in the country.
The one I can’t get over is that:
A P Plater can’t drive a Daihatsu Copen because its powered by a turbo-charged engine which produces no more than 90Kw.. However; s/he can drive a Porsche 911 because its naturally aspirated – yet its engine produces close to 4 times as much power as the Daihatsu.. gotta love their logic..
Vote:January 7th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Couldn’t have put that last comment any better Wheelnut. The “no turbo” etc restriction in a load of rubbish. There are a lot of Euro “low blow” turbo/supercharged cars that have it for emissions/economy etc rather than out and out power. Not to mention most modern small 4 cyl cars (Mazda3/Corolla etc) would be quicker than an old V8 253 Kingswood. It should be power to weight rather than what engine powers it.
Vote:Name(required), have you ever heard of punctuation/spelling/structure etc?? I know of a few 7 year olds that can spell better and construct more readable sentences than you!! You had better hope that Wheelnut’s good idea of IQ/aptitude tests for drivers doesn’t get implemented, otherwise I think you may have to start walking or catching public transport! :-)
January 8th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Hi Devil
You are showing your age with the comment regarding Name (Required). You have yet to catch up with the texting age?
Also, reading your blog, I think the old phrase “People in glass houses etc” applies.
Vote:January 8th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
If the govt confiscate someones car they will just go out and steal another one – probably yours.
Vote:January 9th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I know I am not the best at the written language bign, but at least I am making an effort!! Yes, I do know a lot of the ‘txt’ lingo, but last time I looked this is not a mobile phone that is restricted to 160 characters… ;-)
Vote:January 13th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
^^
oh my! it looks to me like someone had a bit of trouble dual-boxing their multiple poster accounts.
i still enjoyed the reading the banter Bign/Advocate.
Vote:January 18th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Gentlemen
We now have in Vic more evidence of “The Plot” ie
1. Rumours circulating today that “fine evaders” (read that as young people who do not have much cash to pay multiple speed and impoundment fines) will now have their DLs cancelled
2. The Asst Police Commmissioner in Vic in the media today talking up an increase in middle aged/mid life crisis hoons (read that as old blokes who have lots of cash to pay fines) having their cars confiscated.
As I asserted in an earlier blog, you have to manage your anticipated and changing cashflows carefully so that your bonus is maximised.
Cheers.
Vote:May 13th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Most of you are SPOT ON! Jester is a legend.
The RTA, Vicroads all the trafic departments are clueless..
They think crushing peoples cars will stop P’platers speeding; not going to happen. I read an article recently, and most of the cars conviscated, the drivers were middle aged..
I have to say, the stupidist law they have made is the Single passenger law..
To begin with, theres no way of policing it. How could they know they ages of the people in the car?
The driver could simply flip the plates, and they wont get pulled over ‘Duhh..’
Secondly, there just putting more drivers on the road.. Imagine 4 friends goto McDonalds, and happen to end up at a set of lights…. Hmm wounder whats going to happen.
Most drivers know that more people = more weight = slower car. Wont even bother with a race.
There putting more cars on the road, increase chances of a race, increased use of petrol and more emmissions.
The worst of all!
No designated drivers… What Idiot thought of that, we can drink at 18 and drive at the same age. Now whos going to drive the drinkers home. Well done Vicroads *Claps* way to incourage drink driving…
“Exactly Why don’t they confiscate the cars of people that drive at 20km/h BELOW the speed limits”
Thats one of the smartest things Iv heard all day..
The ammount of times I try to merge on an on-ramp and some munter infront, is doing 80khp trying to slot in.. This means everybody behind him on the freeway in the left lane, has to slow down to let him in. Well that causes traffic james, and accidents. Eg. The monash freeway with roadworks. 9 times out of 10 Everybody ignores the posted signs. Partly because its an absurd speed for a freeway, and also becuase people arnt working 90% of the time..
They think we are all incapable of driving with a few cones on the side of the road.
Mind you Most Australaias are HORRIBLE drivers..Ok, im not the best of drivers.. Ill be the first to admit that, im only new to this with less than a year experience. But P’plates kill thems selfs by doing stupid stuff (taking a corner at 110 in the wet in a RWD commonwhore). My driving istructor was polish, and I asked him to teach me propper driving, not just how to pass the test.. I hate driving here sometimes.
Onto burnouts, dont have an issue with them. Its not very tallented to push 2 peddels at once but hey, its supposed to be a free country..
Now I dont see why its bad when people go to small industrial estates todo so, they are leaving the population to stay away from houses and people. They made that effort to prevent a dangerous situation.
They then conviscate the cars..sends a great message.
GIVE US AN AREA TO LET LOOSE…The speed limits are far to low, laws are too strict. Let us get it out of our system!
And cheaply or for free, people dont wanna pay hundreds of dolars for somthing they can do for free! (duhh)
Take German for example:
They have a population FAR greater than Australia..
82.5million vs 21million
Deaths 5318 vs 1627
Personly I think that pretty spectacular considerin the sheer number of people in a cournty the no bigger than QLD.
Better drivers, harder tests.. Cops need to get off the road and on our streets stopping bogans attacking people at clubs..
Sorry got pretty wound up there! lol
Vote:Figured I should wrap everything up before go nuts. :)
May 13th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Dont get me started on the power laws..
Vote:I cant drive a AWD WRX with a 5 start saftey rating and only 160kw.. yet now any P plater can drive a Type-R integra or S2000 with 185kw..
Personly I cant wait till out generation get into power..
Jesus, I cant stop!! lol
June 30th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Yep they’re strict alright more than a year ago i “ran a red light” it was packed traffic and i was behind a semi and by the time i crossed the line i had to go and was flashed by a red light camera, i was pretty inexperienced with this sort of thing so i just payed for it thinking to move on, when i should have disputed, recently i was at another intersection and i saw a green light so i moved into the intersection thinking to turn without noticing the red light arrow and now they’re canceling my license which i need to travel one and a half hours to work, and uni. I’m not a bad driver i used to be a courier, so a have alot more experience than many p platers and even some fully licensed drivers, but now they’re asking me to pay $25 to cancel a license i just renewed for $50, not to mention the $650 for both fines. I’m sick of this stereotype attached to P-platers, when we’re driving well they don’t notice us, but as soon as we slip up we’re another good for nothing punk trying to kill someone on the roads.
Vote: