New QLD Driver License Laws - Our Opinion
4 Jun, 2007
20 Comments 
Less than one month (July 2007) remains between new Queensland drivers and the new draconian P plate restriction laws set to destabilize the transport system in QLD.
All the details regarding the laws can be found here, this is has been discussed countless times before on Car Advice and all of us agree that the new laws will send QLD into the dark age. However, we only realised this morning just how bad the new laws really are.
QLD transport sent out a letter to all those affected last week and the first word reads “Tragically”, which is ironic, because the laws are truly a tragic event for new QLD drivers.
All new learners will need to conduct 100 hours of driving prior to booking their practical test. This is great, in theory, but here is the problem. Firstly, driving with a driving instructor (credited - from a school) will count 1 hour as 3 hours, (maximum of 10 hours), so that means, if you do 10 hours with an instructor, it will count for 30 hours. So you still have another 70 hours to go.
For those lucky enough to have access to a family car, this shouldn’t be too hard, after all, how hard would it be to convince parents to “sign” the log book confirming your hours? For those who don’t have access to a car, 80 hours of paid driving is a massive amount. Specially given it will cost you $45/hr. So roughly $3,600 to gain the hours.
Some argue that it is necessary for the well being of young drivers to undergo this many hours, and we agree. It is crucial for young drivers to gain as much experience prior to driving solo. However there is a better way.
QLD transport are in denial. They have refused to admit that Driving Courses will help young drivers become better drivers. They have done this by snubbing the driving training centers with the new laws. While it will cost you roughly $45/hr for a lesson with a driving instructor, it will cost you around $250 for an advanced driving course (whole day).
So if an hour with a driving instructor will count as three hours (to a maximum of 10 hours), how many hours will you be credited for attending an Advanced Driver Training Course? None! Brilliant.
QLD’s most recognized driver training centre is SDT, Safe Driving Training. The company’s manager Joel Nielsen is not at all happy being snubbed,
“This is a slap in the face to defensive driving courses, we are not necessarily asking for the same triple-credit deal as driving schools but surely an hour spent learning emergency car handling procedures in the safety of a supervised training facility should be credited to logbook hours.” Mr Nielson said
Of course QLD transport were fully aware this issue would arise, so they’ve worked hard to come up with an excuse as to why learning how to handle a vehicle in an emergency situation is not useful to new drivers. Queensland Transport young driver project team spokeswoman Linda McIntyre said the new laws were to :
“encourage young drivers to interact with and be exposed to a range of traffic, road, and weather conditions. Therefore, supervised driving undertaken in an artificial driving environment , such as a driver trainer centre-facility will not count towards the completion of the 100-hour driving experience requirement.”
Again, absolutely brilliant. From all of us at Car Advice we would like to congratulate Mrs McIntyre for winning the 2007 Absolute Rubbish award. Seriously though, it must take a lot of courage to label advanced driving courses as having no benefit to young drivers.
The problem doesn’t stop there, Mrs McIntyre will have to share her award with RACQ who have also jumped on the bandwagon, supporting QLD Transport’s stance on driver training.
“We do not believe that off-road training, especially that most commonly described as advanced driver training is an appropriate form of driver education for learners. At worst, such training could, in fact, encourage even greater risk-taking behaviour in younger male drivers, in particular,” RACQ exsternal affairs general manager Gary Fites
Its obvious that RACQ and QLD transport do not understand the most important and basic principle of human behaviour. Knowledge is power. The idea behind driver training is to teach young (and old) drivers how to control their vehicle in an emergency situation. RACQ believes it is better for drivers to be unskilled in an emergency situation in case they take advantage of their new found confidence.
We have mentioned before how QLD transport hates car enthusiasts and this again comes through here. The comment regarding “off-road training” is nonsense. It seems that no one from RACQ or QLD transport has ever visited Mt Cotton driver training centre (which is government owned!). The idea behind the centre is to familiarize drivers to a whole range of driving conditions that may occur on actual roads.
In other words, RACQ believes its better that drivers experience an out of control vehicle on the road for the first time, (and most likely the last time) as oppose to in a safe training environment. Thank you RACQ for simply bowing down and following QLD transport’s lead.
While QLD’s road toll continues to grow and campaign 300 fails, miserably, QLD transport (and now RACQ) fail to see the bigger problem. RACQ’s argument follows the same thought pattern of “If we teach our children different political ideas, they might use it against us” - After all, all under 25s are hoons and a menace on the road? We might as well just ban all under 25s from driving?
Recently, BMW put its weight behind Driver Training. BMW’s own research has shown that drivers going through the driver training program are far less likely to crash. Dr Draeger who is in charge of the BMW driver training says:
“Governments should make it compulsory to go through driver training schools”
Now here is BMW and the majority of the motoring world in one side yelling and screaming (and even begging) to make driver training compulsary for all new drivers, and on the other side you have QLD transport and now RACQ who discourage training.
Our hearts and minds are with those affected by these new laws. Let us be the first to say, there is absolutely no merit for improving road safety in these laws, it is a simple band aid solution to a problem which requires MORE education for younger drivers, a system which should force drivers to undergo driving training - not discourage them!
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June 4th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
How many of our BEST drivers, Professional drivers, ( race cars etc ) gained experience as kids in GO karts, etc????
How many were great drivers before they got their licences???
Im thinking…….
ALL OF THEM!!!!!!!!!
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June 5th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Seriously, how do these clowns like Mrs McIntyre and Gary Fites get these positions. They should make advanced driver training mandatory. I know when my friends and I went to Mt Cotton driver training centre, we became better more responsible drivers. Afterall, this is where police and firies train.
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June 5th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Aston, the problem is, if they admit that driver training is beneficial then they must also fund the courses - hence denial is the ideal way. Remember, first lesson in politics, when in doubt, deny everything.
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June 5th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Alborz, even if the pollies did admit driver training was beneficial, they don’t have to fund it. Just have the individual pay, the same as you would if you want a licence, you have to pay for it and it is compulsory to do so.
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June 5th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Yes but that would mean they will back track, and admit wrong. They might even have a law suit on their hands from those who have had an accident after taking the advice of QLD transport and not doing a driver training (you never know)
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June 5th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
The problem with politics is that politicians like to appear as doing something. They are not worried about whether the actions are beneficial.
It’s time for a motoring group with credibility (perhaps BMW Driver Training) to call Mrs McIntyre and Gary Fites on their lies. At best, those two are towing the government party line which makes me ask, why? Why on earth would they advocate drivers not getting the training they need to handle emergency situations?
Regardless, I belive it’s time for me to find another insurer.
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June 5th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Great article Alborz. As the mother of 3…(2 licensed and 1 learning) I can see the Govt is trying to ensure new drivers get the maximum amount of experience before driving solo…BUT…certainly dont agree with them discriminating against parents who choose to teach their children to drive (an hour is an hour..whether its with an instructor or parent)and not taking defensive driving courses into account, as part of the total logbook hours is just plain ridiculous. Driver training should be mandatory. The experience gained from these courses in panic/emergency situations are what could save lives in the future.
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June 14th, 2007 at 2:54 am
liquor!
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June 14th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Very good article… and Ive also been telling people in relation to this argument a driver training course is the way. For mine increasing Ls isnt going to do much, driving with a parent next to you and solo are COMPLETELY different! Its like when you have a cop behind you, you dont do anything stupid do you! Its authority. The way I see it, for some having an emergency situation is inevitable, they will be stupid and push their car to far and potentially lose control… doing an extra 50 hours of driving like a granny isnt going to help you in this situation where you need to know for RWD cars to use opposite lock or for cars without ABS to pump the brakes etc. For these individuals (who would be the majority who are involved in fatal crashes), a driver training course can very well save their life. Even everyone else can benefit because we all know most younger drivers also have older cars which dont have even basic features like ABS, in the wet incidents which wouldnt occur with ABS, EBD and BA etc without these easily occur… a course will teach drivers to pump their brakes in a non-ABS vehicle and how to be more aware of the cars dynamics, such as when braking around a corner the tendency for them to brake lift and oversteer etc etc etc. All situations that either ABS or EBD would taken care of… younger drivers dont have the luxuries, so they need to be taught what to do!
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June 19th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Yeah. I had the same idea. Im glad some one backs me up on it..
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June 19th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
And does anyone know where the list of ‘banned’ cars are.
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June 20th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
When are these laws coming into place.?
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June 25th, 2007 at 11:30 am
1 July.
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June 28th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
with the new laws how it affects turbocharged or supercharged cars…….. is it also affecting turbo diesel vehicles becuase i was driving around in my little hyundai excel and i was driving a turbo diesel triton and my car hase a lot more acceleration and higher speed…… i am just wonderin if the new laws affect turbo diesel because the performance in them are nothing compared to a four cylindar car like mine??
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July 1st, 2007 at 4:48 pm
No the turbo and supercharged laws do you apply to turbo diesels.
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July 3rd, 2007 at 4:35 pm
I did defensive driving and advanced driver training when I gained my licence because they reduced the amount of time I spend on a P plate in New Zealand.
I also used the skills I obtained there to drive much faster than I should have, regularly getting up to 180kmph on public roads.
Luckily I have grown out of it, and it was a long time since I last exceeded the speed limit. Now those defensive skills have saved my skin a few times, and I’m lucky enough to have had no crashes and no speeding tickets ever.
Also I know that RACQ does send many of its staff to the Mt Cotton driver training facility. You can check with either company if you want validation.
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September 22nd, 2007 at 9:18 pm
I agree wholehartedly to this article!
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April 6th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Has anyone ever seen people who could be parents as really bad drivers. Doing stuff like taking 10 minutes to get out of parks and doing 80 in a 100 zone, not indicating on roundabouts and not being capable to pass a truck doing 80 in a 100 zone. These incopetent people are teching their kid how to drive! Im not saying that all parents are bad drivers, but some are and they teach their bad habits to kids who dont know any better! ? one more thing, why cant anyone drive when it rains, everyone crashes, yer sure roads are a bit more slipperery but it doesnt mean you can do 60 the highway! thats how you casue accidents, people doing 80 or faster have to quickly change lanes and brake which causes chaos! I hate you people! Also, if you lowered the age to get your learners sya to 15. Kids are not so confident when they are 15 yet they have all the confidence in the world at 17+. If they learn to drive at 15, get their p’s at 15 6 months or 16, wotever, they would have far mor eexperience for when their confidence kicks in. i know this worked for me, got my learners in nz at 15, got p’s at 15 and half, moved to aussie and its sweet!
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May 14th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Does anybody know if V8 turbo diesels are exempt from the new laws? The government is trying to stop japanese imports (we all know its true) that have plenty of power, are cheap and are in abundance. But they are missing the point completely, stopping P platers from driving the family 4wd or sedan.
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November 12th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Just a thought, perhaps its because of the huge volume of new drivers and the fact that there is no way the current tracks and facilities would cater for all these people, add this to the fact that these facilities cost millions of dollars to make and you might start to see why this decision was made. On any one day you could only train a handfull of newbies on a track as apposed to perhaps thousands on the road whilst providing each one of those driving trainers a job, in what looks like recession time that might be a great idea. Don’t get me wrong, I think advanced driver training is a great thing but I think the logistics of this have been overlooked.
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