Queensland Driver Licence new rules Curfews and 12 month learners
August 14, 2006 by Alborz Fallah
Update 9/01/2007 : A more detailed description of the new laws is available here
Queensland is set to introduce new rules for new drivers, including night curfews, passenger restrictions and the banning of high-powered cars in 2007. Part of the new rules includes a huge 100 hours of supervised learner driving will be enforced before taking the drivers test while Queensland Transport said that talking on hands-free mobiles while at the wheel will be illegal for many young Queenslanders from July 1, when the tough new reforms are introduced! Even with a hands-free! How completely stupid.
Queensland is also set to finally introduce P-plates to go along NSW and VIC, also learner licence period is set to double to 12 months in what is set to become the nation’s most rigid licensing system. The legislation will apply to provisional and learner drivers under 25. New drivers over that age will also be subjected to some of the new requirements.
The main changes to the system coming into effect in July 2007 are:
- lowering the minimum learner age to 16 and extending the licence period to 12 months
- gaining 100 hours of certified supervised on-road driving experience for learners under 25s
- restricting all mobile phone use, including hands-free, blue-tooth accessories, and loud-speaker functions, for learner and P1 provisional licence holders under 25
- restricting mobile loud-speaker functions for supervisors and passengers of learner and P1 provisional licence holders under 25 while under instruction
- motorbike learners will be required to hold a car provisional licence for 12 months prior to gaining a motorbike learner licence
- introduction of a two-phased P1 and P2 provisional licence system
- compulsory L plates (a black L on a yellow background) and P plates (a red plate for P1 and green plate for P2)
- peer passenger restrictions (only carrying one passenger aged under 21) from 11pm to 5am for P1 under 25
- high-powered vehicle restrictions for provisional drivers under 25
- after 12 months on P1, licence holders must pass a hazard perception test to progress to P2
- late night driving and other restrictions for disqualified and suspended young drivers
Queensland transport says that too many young people are dying on Queensland roads, with 17-24 year olds one of the most at-risk groups. In 2005 just 13 per cent of our drivers were young people, and yet 32 per cent of our road toll 106 fatalities came as a result of young driver crashes. This statistic is being used by QLD Transport to push down these new and extreme laws.
Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Paul Lucas said opposition to the “tough new line” was expected.
“We realise some of these changes won’t please everyone, particularly young people, but their lives are at stake and we have had to make hard decisions,” Mr Lucas said.
State driver groups, including the RACQ and MTAQ, had been instrumental in shaping the reforms, he said. Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said some of the new licensing measures were over the top.
“In a decentralised state such as Queensland, several of the rules will be extremely difficult to enforce and will be open to abuse,” Mr Springborg said.
“What’s more, the reforms discriminate against new drivers under 25 by being fairly lenient on new drivers over that age. Confidence on the roads comes down to driving experience, not age.“
RACQ spokesman Gary Fites said restricting the use of high-powered vehicles would be hard to monitor.
“It was the only one of the new measures that we (the RACQ) weren’t so sure about,” Mr Frites said.
I am located in Queensland and although these rules don’t apply to me I have to say, honestly, the more rules and regulations that are put in place to limit Young Drivers from driving, the worse things will get. I would like to see the police enforcing the high-powered cars rule. For a start, who will classify what cars as high powered? What will constitute a high powered car? Will it be a blanket No V8s, no Turbocharger, no Supercharger approach? Would that mean kids can’t drive their parents Nissan Patrol? Or take the landcruiser for a spin? What about dad’s V8 commodore? How will that work?
I would like RACQ to tell me if one single person under 25 was even consulted for these changes, 12 month learners period is simply just stupid. The longer the period the more chance of learner drivers on the road without a license. 12 months is just enormous! If you are getting your learners you are keen to get your drivers license and whilst I agree that not everyone with a drivers license knows how to drive, I can’t imagine why RACQ and QLD transport are only targeting young drivers!
There are plenty of older drivers who are more of a menace than young drivers, why not introduce:
- compulsory defensive driving courses
- compulsory safety courses
- change the driving test so its more set for the real world as oppose to following a few basic rules
Why is that the driving courses still require drivers to do a parallel park when they never teach you what todo if your aquaplaning the car of it you’ve lost control in the wet, or how to deal with a car with ABS etc etc? Why does the QLD government always take the easy way out of trying to fix the road toll problem. Its not a two step process of putting more speed cameras and tougher laws. There needs to be more education for younger drivers and less restrictions. Many young Drivers will always want to speed, so why not give the chance to do just that in a safe environment?
Furthermore, 100 hours of supervised learning before taking the test? Are they serious? Who can afford that! What if the young driver going for his or her test doesn’t have their parents car to practise on? Are they going to pay $40/hr for 100 hours to get that log book filled up? Thats $4,000!
What about the complete lack of attention to older drivers who are also a menace on the road? Why isn’t there new regulation to require a special 4WD license for people to drive big 4WDs in the city? There needs to be understanding by the Government and RACQ (whom I have now lost all utter respect for) to realize that young drivers are not the source of the problem. Sure they might have a higher accident rate, but thats mainly due to lack of experience and 100 hours of paid lessons is simply over the top, instead of the 100 hours they need to make the driving test much harder, and include real world situations in a proper testing environment on a track so they can take the car out of control. If they want safety, this isn’t the solution.
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son of a bitch! that is so stupid! young people are either going to be mega pissed off and break all the rules or just say ’screw that’ and not even drive at all. I’m 2 months away from getting my P’s so either way, those new rules apply to me :(
Nicely said! Learner drivers, regardless of their age, should be given a much more challenging testing process to make them more aware of the dangers on the road. Defensive driving courses should be compulsory, drivers who haven’t used their manual licenses in over 5 years should lose their manual priviledges, drivers over 65yo should be forced to do several tests to prove their reaction, sight and hand-eye co-ordination, etc, etc…
This is just another way for the government to rake more money out of young Australians who are already finding it difficult to make a dollar as it is. What comes next I wonder? I thought this was a democratic society? How can they make a decision based on the word of the people when they don’t go to the source?
Perhaps, just perhaps, Australia should stop treating its citizens like idiots, and start treating them like people ? The number of hoops that people have to jump through, and the level of government run ‘tests’ that people have to do is already too high – do we really want to add more? Isn’t it funny that despite a complete lack of legislation in Europe on driving rules in comparision to Australia, and a generally higher speed limit on road, that they seem to have less accidents? It is well easy to get a drivers licence in Europe compared to Aus so it isn’t that. Perhaps by introducing STRICTER rules we won’t make it any easier?
Iam 16 and hold a RE motorcycle lerners licence. The new rules say that i have to hold a P1 car licence to even get my bike learners. Dose that mean that i have to wait and hold a car P1 licence for one year even tho i already hold my RE motorcycle lerners licence, or dose the new laws not affect me as i already hold my bike learners?
Hey Steven
the new laws dont come into force till mid next year, if I were you, I’d get my bike license before then!
i think these new rules are stupid, i’ve had my licence for a year now and i own my v8 clubsport and there is no way im going to trade that in for a beep beep barina. the government reckon were adults at 18, well treat us like adults, and if you want us to do all these ‘compulsory’ defensive and safety courses, then i hope the governments paying for them other wise you can stick em! cause im sure us young adults have better things to do and spend our money on…..
If you have your P’s before the new law comes into affect are you affected by the law when it does
im 15 at the moment and was born on january the eleventh and will be getting my learners next year in July (the same month these laws come in) so if I get my learners then after these laws have come ni i will have to have my licence for 12 months from when i’m sixteen and a half; meaning i won’t get my P’s until im 17 and a half. fair?
i reckon that is stupid i am 16 and i have owned a 1951 ford custom for just over a year its a v8 and i have spend all my money on it, does that mean i can’t drive it with these new rules. THAT STINKS!!!
Well, well, well. Aren’t these laws laughable.
Quote 1: “Gaining 100 hours of certified supervised on-road driving experience for learners under 25s”
Whats not stopping people filling out the book anyway, even though they have not driven? Someone could just do 10 hours driving and put down 100. It prooves nothing.
Quote 2: “Restricting all mobile phone use, including hands-free, blue-tooth accessories, and loud-speaker functions, for learner and P1 provisional licence holders under 25 and restricting mobile loud-speaker functions for supervisors and passengers of learner and P1 provisional licence holders under 25 while under instruction.”
My oh my how will this be policed. All handsfree kits have automatic answer and auto hang up. I use mine all the time. Its fantastic. So how will the police know im using one? I could just be singing along to a song on the radio. And same thing with the passengers.
Quote 3: “High-powered vehicle restrictions for provisional drivers under 25″
This will mean disaster for young apprentices. Diesel HiLux’s and so forth are commonly used for work vehicles and can be turbo’d. This is for the extra pulling power to pull heavy machinery and parts, not for speed.
Quote 4: “Introduction of a two-phased P1 and P2 provisional licence system”
Useless if your not going to enforce speed restrictions.
Quote 5: “Late night driving and other restrictions for disqualified and suspended young drivers”
What the bloody hell is a suspended driver doing on the road in the first place?
Quote 6: “Peer passenger restrictions (only carrying one passenger aged under 21) from 11pm to 5am for P1 under 25″
Whats not to say that someone over the age of 21 isn’t mature enough? I know plenty of hoons and reckless drivers over the age of 21. If your going to make this a rule, make it on all ages. This rule will also annoy tradesmen.
Sorry Queensland Police and Queensland Transport, this is a case of go home and try again.
i have just recently turned 16 and go for my learners in jan. in july i will be 17 so whats ment to happen with it all for me then??
it means that ur learners will still be 6 months but you will face all the new P1,P2 rules
If i turn 16 this december and get my learners in june 2007 will the one year learners apply?
no, as long as you get it before July, you will only have your learners for 6 months. Its rather funny, but its the only way they could implement it i guess.
Get it before July!
Well i would say its crap, because its ridiculous to restrict younger drivers, especially since most accidents happen because of dumb fat suburbian middle age’d wankers who drive their 4wd’s whilst trying to call people to find out if their partners are cheat’n on them, FOR GOD SAKES YES THEY ARE BECAUSE YOUR FAT,BALD AND STUPID. so inclusiion fuk your laws if wanna drive a v8 a bloody will because i already got my P’s. DR.Jordoneus
iv had my learners 4 over 6 months and am ready to get my p’s will these new rules affect me at all?
Hmm, good question,
if you get your license now, you will avoid having to wear P1 plates, and given that your not in the P1 system, I would doubt you will need to have P2 plates.
My advice to everyone who hasn’t got their learners or has their learners and is waiting to get their license. Do it NOW!
hahaha sucked in to every1 affected by dis law really sux but proud not to b a youngin’…
i just had to say dat, nd i rekon gud on da rules will be gud at stoppin sum up cumin hoons step in da ryt direction… but da fact is da new generation pays for da mistakes of current hoons real gud justice these dayz ay.
still dont affect me…but if dey did i think dey need to reconsider da performance car ones more hoons in shiit boxes dese dayz stupid holden hoons den hot modded cars that hav drivers dat take alot of care not to scratch em nd stuff.
No matter wat happens u will alwayz have da so called hardcore fully sik drifers dat will take big bro’s silvia or skyline nd crash into da nearest pole, young ppl 2day like breakin rules nd da satisfaction of gettin away wid it. so like most suggestions go driver awareness programs to educate u silly ppl wantin to b da nxt TAKUMI or DRIFT KING.
datz just my view, i know u guyz rekon it sux but memba it will save lives nd for one more life saved it makes da whole thing worth it.
memba kids dont drinkn nd drive or do drugs
this new enforcement is soooo stupid omg not all young people are bad drivers and get into accidents, wat the hell is ‘on ur p one liscence from 11pm to 5am u can have only 1 passenger’ ?? so if im driving my friends out for a good night on the town, i have to leave them there drunk and let who knows what happen to them ? i wont i dont give a fuk ill still drive them, ur just giving me more rules to break! wats even more rediculous is how they are going to prevent us from buying certain cars….. u think u can control that ? coz it wont it just makes things more fun and thrilling driving around in an ”illegal” car dipshits!
100 hrs with an instructor ? ur fuken nuts how bout u pay for it then aye ? coz i already have to pay 42 dollars a lesson and i have no parent to teach me how to drive, $4000 where am i gonna pull that out from? if i can only afford one lesson a wk.
Im 15 at the moment and i was born in Janurary… does this mean i have have to have my learners for 1 year and i have to wait until im 17 and half to get my p’s cos if i have to this new law is screwed and y should i miss out because of it…. Law fair my arse…
If you can’t get your learners before July 2007, you will have to have your learners for 12 months. So in your case, it sounds like you miss it by a matter of days!
What a load of crap, i’m 18 and drive a street registered naturally aspirated V6 VR commodore putting out 240HP to the wheels pulling low 14’s along the 1/4 which is on par with most skylines and forced induction cars, how they guna stop people from driving modified cars like this, a new breed of performance car will be born, if your that keen you dont need a turbo or blower to make power it just takes more money but it can be done. Unless they put every registered car on a dyno the laws are powerless and will push people to suck more power out of the naturally aspirated sixes. Just let people have there fun while there young and still can.
if i get my P’s befor these laws come out do i miss them or what happen’s cause they say nothing about who gets to miss them…….
i already have my L’s and get my P’s in FEB 2007 so i will miss all these stupid laws right
???
and why should us young drivers be banded for so many things when its all the older and elderly people who r really causing a thret and we get hit for it… i thought the big AUS was ment to be a fair place… well i was wrong….. It’s not really fair for us… i am new to this sight and have been reading all the comments and they r all good points why should we have to do all these courses hell they can shove it unless they r paying for it i got better things to spend my money on beside more tests.. if i pass my driver test its cause i know what to do and have done it by the law so to hell with all these stupid laws…..
so i miss them right??? lol :-D
No mate,
u will get stuck on the P1-2 system.
Get your license ASAP so at least u wont have to put up with the P1 rules, but u will have to do another test to get your P2s come next year
yeah g’day ppl
i turned 16 last month which means i get my learners in feb. so all that crap bout P1’s and P2’s applies to me hey?
so how does this P1-2 work? whats it all about?
hey question??
ive owned my 180sx turbo now for a year next year will be 2( by july 07) yes im on my L and will be on my P plates in the next month. So wat happen im not allowed to drive my car even though ive spent the last year sanding it respray and money???? I OWN IT!!! they gonna buy me a new 1???? im certainly not sellin it…:(
only the few wreck it for us car enthusiests
whoops they have F@#ked it !!!
all these new laws r so stupid i know that many pl who have sunk all there time and hard erned money on there “high performance” car yes these cars go fast and just like any car if u crash it a gonna hurt many ppl can get power or of n/a car it ain’t hard if ya wanna do internal mods hows that going to be policed what, they goin to pull the engine down to find out don’t think so
by doin these new laws people r just going tofind new ways to mod te n/a 6’s the same happened when they made p platers on a moter bike only ride a 250 they r still capable of in excess of 250 km/h
The P1 P2 system, is similar to the one used in NSW, except that there is no speed restrictions (as far as QLD transport have so far mentioned) so, pretty much the only difference is, if you are on your Ps you cant drive a performance car, and you gotta have P plates on your car so you can look like a dick
so does that mean when i get my l’s before the new rules i’ll have to go back to the start and do 100 hrs
Ouch. I can’t wait.
Maybe you should post up a clarification: I’m already on my p-ness plates, am I likely to get whacked by the second half of this law?
FUCK YOU and fuck your rules!! i am getting a high powered vehicle wether u like it or not. im getting my p’s next year and i will fuckign drive it.. try and stop me.. i am actually one of them people who dont do stupid thigns in their cars 24/7 why punish the people who do good things.. fuck the government.
ive lost all respect for the ” PIGS! and them dumb as pen pushers in parliment.
i moved from sydney to brisbane thre for i am 1 year or so younger than all of my mates.. so al of my mates cant drive V8’s ot turbocharged cars.. that seem fair? they also dont have cerfews or anything this is just not fair.. how are the pigz guna police these new rules anyway? theres guna be so many angry teens out there effected by these new ” idiotic” rules and they will most probably dissobay them.why does QLD allways have to follow the other states.. this is shit . a real fucking hit and miss Mr Lucas ” one to blame here” can honestly get fucked.. for ruining our fun. when u get your p’s its like having your wings.. only these road rules is like having your wings clipped and only REALLY flying when your 21. so.. the governemtn CAN FUCK! OFF!! fucking bunch of wankers
i moved from sydney to brisbane thre for i am 1 year or so younger than all of my mates.. so al of my mates can* drive V8’s ot turbocharged cars.. that seem fair? they also dont have cerfews or anything this is just not fair.. how are the pigz guna police these new rules anyway? theres guna be so many angry teens out there effected by these new ‘’ idiotic’’ rules and they will most probably dissobay them.why does QLD allways have to follow the other states.. this is shit . a real fucking hit and miss Mr Lucas ‘’ one to blame here’’ can honestly get fucked.. for ruining our fun. when u get your p’s its like having your wings.. only these road rules is like having your wings clipped and only REALLY flying when your 21. so.. the governemtn CAN FUCK! OFF!! fucking bunch of wankers
Are they trying to take all of our fun away. Give us a break! once your 18 your suposed to be free arnt you… this is so stupid
i moved from sydney to brisbane thre for i am 1 year or so younger than all of my mates.. so al of my mates can* drive V8’s ot turbocharged cars.. that seem fair? they also dont have cerfews or anything this is just not fair.. how are the pigz guna police these new rules anyway? theres guna be so many angry teens out there effected by these new ‘’ idiotic’’ rules and they will most probably dissobay them.why does QLD allways have to follow the other states.. this is shit . a real fucking hit and miss Mr Lucas ‘’ one to blame here’’ can honestly get fucked.. for ruining our fun. when u get your p’s its like having your wings.. only these road rules is like having your wings clipped and only REALLY flying when your 2
who do you think you are taking our driving away from us your a wanker poodle head
Does this mean we keep doing our p1’s & p2’s and get our open licence’s on the 3rd year of our p’s.?
i have grown up with v8 cars and they’re all i know, shouldnt the government be encouraging driving environments that people are comfortable with. I’ve heard that SA dosnt have speed limits and don’t they have the lowest road death toll…dosnt this tell u something…and the whole 100 hours of supervised driving, with the rising petrol prices people arent going to be able to afford the whole 100 hours thing..when the death toll does go down it will only be a result of half the population not on the roads…not that people are being safer on them..i plan to go to university..how the hell am i going to pay for uni and fuel on top!
If you think there should be no car’s being allowed v8 enignes. If that’s the law they want they should provide the car to everyperson in queendland on the p’s or l’s that does not have a v8 engine. & only goes to a certain speed.Instead of having people allowed to have certain car’s it rediculous. Having to do 100 hours to do as well.. the gouvernment should pay for the fuel as well. Prices are becoming rediculous.!!
hi just me again..i was just reading the part about hands free thiung and that passengers arent allowed to have their phones on speaker phone, does this mean that if your in the car with your passenger you’re not allowed to talk to them, isnt it the same as hands free??
Hmm, well, thats the whole point I guess, the laws are stupid and impossible to govern. I am not sure how they are going to tell if someone is simply talking to the person next to them or talking on speaker phone using their mobile.
I can only image, as I mentioned in the article, that RACQ has not even talked to anyone below the age of 30 to get some opinion because if they had, they would have realized that actually governing these new rules is impossible! How can you tell when you drive past that the driver is talking on speaker phone or simply singing along to the radio? Or as you mentioned, talking to the person next to them.
Go QLD Transport.
what does P2 mean like i miss P1 so what does it all mean????
Hey guys, sorry i soughta dont get this at all one bit, I turn 16 on September 29th i was born in 1990 does all these rules apply to me? i am soo confused about i am a carholic and i just adore all the turbos superchargers and V8’s and is the government going to take it away from me? please some one help me out,
cheers Sim
HAS NEONE ASKING QUESTION ACTUALLY READ DA LEGISLATION???
OK noobs its obvious half da lil kiddyz here dont undastand wats happenin…
If u can manage to get ur Ps b4 July nxt year u r safe from the new legislation all together and it doesnt effect you, datz ryt no P1 or P2 or P-plates on ur car. this is bcuz when u get ur Ps under the current law u have them for 3yrs or wateva nd get ur opens (cant wait)and bcuz the new law is not mandatory yet the old rules only apply. da rest of u youngin’z will be SKREWED by the new laws(enjoy mums 20kw atw, excel). About enforcement of the laws, as many hav said it will b difficult to enforce handsfree etc… well dese dayz copz can get u busted for nethin they hav da power nd dey can do wat dey want wid it MY ADVICE IS DONT BE A COCK and ull b fine…
Y u all sayin skrew da government nd new road rules??? der made for a reason, and that is to save lives. so if da whole of QLD is to suffer to save one extra life its still worth it, ive done heaps of research on dis topic nd at first seemed like dey wer all bein a bunch of A-grade tossers but i was wrong dey did it to save ppl (and make cash on da side cheap bastards)…
Ohh one other thing sum guy said b4 bannin cars wid compressors aint gona solve a thing bcuz a FULLY SIK V6 can be just as quik wen tuned up ryt…yeh well unda new legislations modifications are bein banned as well so enjoy STOCKO v6 which im pretty sure will struggle to beat turbo cars. my solution get an any NA import all can b quik, Integra VTEC, Civic VTEC, FTO, Satria GTi, 206 GTi, pulsar SSS, Mazda 3 SP23 (dis car is crazy a stocko one beat a s14 nd 180sx both slightly modded turboed SR20s too) these 4cyl cars are eco for u cheap ass’ nd hammer good plus safe them bein front wheel drive (dont try hand brake slide outs yes its dangerous ive seen a Yaris try it dumbass spun out nd hit a tree)
Newayz datz just my input to dis thingo
This is fuckiing shit!!! The government has no fucking idea how many ppl this affects and how rediculous it is… why are they even bothering, its not gona change how many ppls are dying on the roads, its just a huge pain in the ass for everyone, so why are they fucking us roound with all these laws!!!
omfg, wtf is wrong with this government… this is only gonna make younger drivers want to break the rules just to be able brag to their friends… But seriously these new laws suck balls… STUPID FUCKING government cant even think straight, all they are doing are getting us young people ANGRY… what dont you STUPID FUCKERS understand i want a V8!!!!
all i can say is FUCK YOU and FUCK YOUR RULES!! WANKERS
this is so stupid. i read some of the comments and im 15 now and born in january and because of like 15 or so days i hav to be on my learners an extra 6 months. how is this fair!?!?!?! is there a way i can get around it?
p.s. SeaNo who wrote that long thing… ur a wank… thats it…