Learner and young drivers in Victoria, Australia, are being encouraged to build up more experience driving after dark, as part of a new Government campaign.
The Transport Accident Committee’s (TAC) new campaign “Parental Control” urges learner drivers to ensure their driving practice hours include enough night driving, and reminds parents of learners to talk to their children about the dangers of night-time driving.
It has been launched after new research showed that in their first year on the roads, P-plate drivers are seven times more likely to be killed or injured while driving at night than fully licensed drivers.
On average, 31 first-year P-platers are killed or seriously injured while driving at night in Victoria each year of approximately 50,000 new drivers annually.
“The more experience our learner drivers get in at night and in bad weather, the better equipped they will be to be safe solo drivers – at least 20 of the 120 learner hours must be at night, but I encourage all young people to get many more,” Said Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Ben Carroll.
The new campaign will run until mid-May online, on catch-up TV services, radio and outdoor at petrol stations. More information is available on the TAC website.
