Brake on high powered vehicles for provisional drivers
Vehicles with eight or more cylinders, turbo and supercharged vehicles, and some with modified engines will be off-limits to young provisional licence holders from mid-next year under new young driver restrictions.
Minister for Transport Paul Lucas said high powered or ‘performance’ vehicle restrictions formed one element of a range of tough new measures aimed at reducing the youth road toll.
“Young drivers are the most vulnerable on our roads. They are 2½ times more likely to be killed in a road crash than other motorists,” Mr Lucas said.
“Provisional drivers in particular are more at risk than learner drivers.
“There seems to be a fascination - particularly from young men - for driving high-powered, hotted-up cars.
“While it’s true that driving recklessly in a family four cylinder car is dangerous, the added power of some vehicles, coupled with youthful inexperience and exuberance, is a recipe for disaster.
“Research suggests that young drivers take more risks, such as deliberate speeding and reckless driving when in charge of high powered vehicles or ‘performance cars’.
“Young drivers behind the wheel of eight cylinder cars involved in crashes in Queensland from 2001 to 2005 were twice as likely to be driving with excessive speed (11.5%) when compared with young drivers in cars with less than eight cylinders (5.6%).
“Time and time again it is young drivers with limited experience who are involved in accidents behind the wheel of high powered cars, such as V8s.”
“In an effort to reduce the road toll provisional young drivers will no longer be allowed to drive these potentially lethal weapons,” he said.
For the full period of their provisional licence, under 25s who obtain their provisional licence after 1 July 2007 will be restricted from driving:
* vehicles with eight or more cylinders;
* turbocharged vehicles;
* supercharged vehicles; and
* vehicles that have an engine performance modification that requires approval from an Approved Person (person approved by Queensland Transport to inspect and certify modified vehicles).
Some vehicles will be exempt from this list, for example cars with small engine capacities that are fitted with a turbocharger.
