‘Idiot tradies, P-platers’ savaged over road rule

A majority of Aussies have slammed a controversial report suggesting road users aged 50+ could be subjected to mandatory driving lessons.

A majority of Aussies have slammed a controversial report suggesting road users aged 50+ could be subjected to additional driving lessons, railing instead against ‘idiot P-platers and tradies’ and those ‘playing GTA on the road’.

According to a report released on Wednesday, Australians aged over 50 could be made to undergo ‘refresher’ driving lesson.

The study from the University of NSW in Sydney suggested that drivers, with or without clean driving records, should be re-examined in order to make roads safer in Australia.

But Aussies are aghast at the prospect.

Of a poll of more than 12,300 respondents, 51 per cent said ‘No’ to the question of – Should drivers over 50 be required to refresh their driving skills.

‘Stop playing GTA on the road.’ Picture: Sam Ruttyn

More than a third (36 per cent) who voted in the poll said such lessons should be ‘Only if there’s signs of driving breaches’. While just 13 per cent voted ‘Yes’.

The prospect of the mooted change in driving laws clearly unnerved plenty of readers.

Several readers claimed that younger drivers, like P-platers and under 30s, are a bigger safety concern than older drivers.

According to the road trauma Australia statistical summary from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economic: the 17 to 25 years age group account for 19 per cent of all road deaths and over 65-years represent 21 per cent.

“There are some over 50s who need refresher lessons but there are a hell of a lot more under 30s who need to learn how to drive and stop playing GTA on the road,” said reader David.

“Over 50s aren’t the problem mostly. The older we get the less impatient we get. Mostly, it’s the younger idiots who just want to get to wherever they are going with no care for anybody else,” Steve said.

A majority of Aussies said lessons should only be mandatory in the case of driving breaches. Picture: Dean Martin

Another reader said “the idiots I see on the road everyday tend to be P Platers and tradies of around 25-35. It’s the lack of proper training in the first place. Licences should be far harder to get and easier to lose.”

A handful of readers argued that younger drivers are inexperienced, are risk-takers and are unfamiliar with traffic laws.

However, many expressed that “impatient, aggressive, and inconsiderate driving” isn’t age related. Several readers raised concerns about the standard of driving instructors.

“Anyone seen the standard of “professional” driving instructors on the road in the last few years? And these clowns will be giving stamps of approval? Haha no thanks,” Snowball said.

Many expressed that refresher training and retesting would be beneficial for all ages.

Comments poured in about the need for drivers to be “retested every five years” or “sit a theory test every 10 years” when renewing our licence.

Other comments pointed to issues outside of age, such as the behaviour of “international drivers”, “tradies”, ‘truck drivers” and motorbikes.

NEW PUSH’ 50-YEAR-OLD AUSSIES ‘NEED DRIVING LESSONS’

The controversial report suggested Australians aged over 50 could be subjected to additional driving lessons.

The study from the University of NSW in Sydney suggested that drivers, with or without clean driving records, should be re-examined in order to make roads safer in Australia.

Seventeen to 25 years age group account for 19 per cent of all road deaths and over 65-years represent 21 per cent, according to the road trauma Australia statistical summary from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.

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Despite this, UNSW Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey, an expert in cognitive ageing, says common driving mistakes aren’t always age-related but can stem from a longstanding habits formed years ago.

“A lot of these are just bad habits that drivers have brought with them from their younger years,” she said.

“We see a lot of people not checking blind spots, not taking right hand turns properly, cutting corners, or not maintaining their lane position.”

Professor Anstey’s research suggests that tailored driving lessons for older drivers can improve road safety and help maintain independence.

A UNSW study suggested it was clear that intervention could improve older driver performance and safety on the road. Picture: TikTok/@DrivingSchoolWA

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Anstey said drivers as young as 50 should complete extra driving lessons as part of “normal life”.

“People don’t naturally ask themselves ‘do I need to update my driving skills’,

“It could be something like, when you turn 50 you’re invited to have an extra driving lesson just to check in on your driving.

“At the moment you’d only get that if you had something wrong with your driving,” she said.

Anstey has been leading studies at NeuRA aimed at improving older driver safety, most recently through a controlled study called the ‘Better Drive Study’.

The trial involved three groups of drivers over 65, who were monitored for 12 months, with each group receiving different levels of support and feedback.

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One group had a refresher on rules, another had video-feedback and the third had both video feedback and tailored driving lessons.

The results are yet to be analysed but said it was clear that intervention could improve older driver performance and safety on the road.

Drivers in the 17-25 years age group account for 19 per cent of all deaths.

“We haven’t yet analysed our results as we’ve just completed our last assessment,” she said.

“But in our pilot study, which was very similar, we found that of the people that had our intervention involving driving lessons and video feedback, we moved a significant proportion from unsafe to safe drivers, and we reduced their driving errors.”

In NSW traffic offences including speeding, driving under the influence and street racing can result in immediate loss of licence.

But says “the all or nothing approach” does not work and there’s a lot to gain from tailored intervention instead of simply stripping away licenses.

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Originally published as ‘Idiot tradies, P-platers’ savaged over road rule