Young Drivers and Riders

Drivers and motorcycle riders aged 16 to 24 years are often over-represented in road crashes. Statistics show that young drivers and riders have a far greater risk of loss of life and serious injury than other drivers.

Factors that contribute to younger drivers having an increased risk of being involved in a crash:

lack of experience
late night driving
inappropriate risk taking
inadequate perception of driving hazards and
the presence of passengers of a similar age to the driver.

For more information on the risks for young drivers, refer to The Driver’s Handbook.

For young motorcycle riders, refer to The Rider's Handbook.

Graduated Licensing Scheme

The Graduated Licensing Scheme (GLS) allows new drivers to be introduced to driving progressively. It is a staged approach to obtaining a full driver’s licence. It starts with the learner’s permit for supervised driving in relatively low risk situations. Restrictions are gradually lifted through the provisional stages (P1 and P2).

To find out more about the GLS, nighttime driving restrictions and the history of the GLS, visit My Licence.

The Motorcycle GLS is designed to help beginners become a safe rider. The GLS ensures they gain more experience before riding a motorbike under full licence conditions.

For more information, visit My Licence.

Ls and Ps

Visit My Licence to get details about:

Buying a safe car

When purchasing a vehicle, it is important to choose the newest, safest and most suitable vehicle you can afford.

Newer cars generally have the latest safety technology. This makes them safer than older models. Research shows that if we all drove the safest car in its class, the number of serious injuries and lives lost would reduce dramatically.

Young drivers and their parents should consider comparing vehicle purchase price and relative vehicle safety scores.

Learn about choosing the safest and most suitable vehicle you can afford on Safe Vehicles.