RAA Recommends More Mandatory L-Plate Hours

Nervous learner drivers who aren’t ready to drive without a supervisor should be driving more than the mandatory 75 hours on their L-plates, the RAA says.

The RAA has further suggested at least 100 hours of supervised driving should be recorded for L-platers uneasy at the wheel.

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It comes as RAA Senior Traffic Engineer Matthew Vertudaches said “alarming new crash data” revealed P-platers were far more likely to crash than L-platers.

Over the last five years, 5,007 P-plate drivers crashed on South Australian roads, compared to 806 L-plate drivers in the same time frame.

“Depending on capability and confidence, RAA would encourage learners to do well over the 75-hour requirement and for some learners that may be 100 hours or more,’’ Mr Vertudaches told the Advertiser.

“It’s highly important that learner drivers are exposed to challenging conditions under the guidance of a supervising driver, rather than first encountering them under P1 conditions.

“Some of these conditions include night driving, wet weather driving, country and high-speed driving, driving on unsealed roads, and driving in peak hour traffic.”

While the numbers of crashes are alarming, when the 75-hour mandatory L-plate training system was introduced in 2010, there was an immediate change in reducing injuries. 

Current P-plate restrictions in place by the Transport Department include peer-passenger and night-time driving restrictions, high powered vehicle and mobile phone restrictions, speed restrictions and zero alcohol and drug conditions.

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