Learners demand tougher penalties for road bullies

A new report reveals learner drivers and instructors want tougher penalties for road bullies after facing aggressive behaviour.

Learner drivers across Australia are calling for stricter penalties for abusive road users after a recent report revealed more than a third of student drivers experienced tailgating, aggressive overtaking and excessive honking.

The Ezlicence report stated 80 per cent of learner drivers and 93 per cent of instructors believed tougher laws were necessary to protect learners.

They believe fines, demerit points, and licence suspensions are needed to crack down on aggressive driverswho target vulnerable learners.

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More than 70 per cent of L-plate drivers who took part in the study said they had experienced being tailgated, with 64 per cent saying they had been aggressively overtaken, and 58 per cent saying they had endured unnecessary honking.

Driving instructors also claimed to have witnessed this behaviour, with more than 70 per cent sighting tailgating and more than 82 per cent observing dangerous overtaking.

Instructor Sonia said a colleague was verbally abused because they were teaching a reverse park during peak times.

“In WA, the impatience, rudeness and disrespect for learners is so bad it’s everywhere and by all road users — trucks, cars, males and females.” she said.

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Instructors have revealed the impact of abusive drivers on their students.

The study revealed that aggressive behaviour caused an increase in anxiety among 60 per cent of learners, one in five stopped driving altogether and a small percentage believed this caused them to make mistakes.

Those aged 16-20 faced more aggression and intimidation than those aged over the age of 20.

Sydney and Adelaide face the highest rates of road aggression but the problem extended nationwide, the report claimed.

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Melbourne learner driver Yasemin said displaying an L-plate was like having a “big target magnet” for drivers to attack learners.

“They were once learners too. I don’t understand why they get so impatient,” she said.

“I feel like they shouldn’t have their licence and be on the road if they don’t have patience.

“I will be going the speed limit and they get so mad because they see the L plate and don’t want to be stuck behind a learner.”

Others, like Sydney resident Sarah, said aggressive behaviour only put people at risk.

“Learners don’t know how to react in dangerous or unpredictable situations, so these drivers are putting learners in a situation that they can’t reasonably be expected to handle,” she said.

“The majority of these incidents come and go so fast, while I wish there could be some sort of punishment for it, I don’t know how it could be tracked or enforced.”

Originally published as Learners demand tougher penalties for road bullies