The ADTA attended the Australian College of Road Safety Conference in Melbourne in September and obtained some interesting information.

For instance……

Australia is now outside the top ten OECD countries for road fatalities. The safest countries are Sweden, The Netherlands and The United Kingdom.

By 2020 road deaths will be the third most common cause of death

10% of drivers are involved in 50% of crashes

Fatigue contributes to 20% of crashes

90% of crashes are due to the behaviour / performance of the driver as opposed to driving conditions, vehicle malfunction or road structures.

A teenage driver travelling with a teenage passenger is 50% more likely to be involved in a crash.

Ten years ago there was only 5 one star ANCAP rated cars available. Now three quarters of new cars have 4 or 5 stars.

A 2 star car has double the accident / injury risk of a 5 star car.

Probationary drivers would be 80% safer if they drove 5 star cars, which would equate to 15% less road fatalities.

Wire rope barriers and bitumen on the side of roads with ripple strips lead to a 60%-90% decrease in serious injuries and fatalities.

Sweden has a default speed limit of 70kmph, compared with ours which is 100kmph

{Information provided by Australian Driver Trainers Association {Vic} Inc.

Young drivers are at the highest risk of any age group when it comes to fatal car accident statistics. Although Learner drivers are new to the roads and generally have no prior experience driving, they have the lowest fatality rate of any age group on our roads. Why do young drivers go from being innocuous to the most dangerous demographic of drivers? It’s all got to do with attitude. Young drivers relish the freedom when they finally obtain their P’s. As a consequence, there’s a lot that can go wrong.

Learning to drive without a qualified instructor is detrimental to the ability of young drivers. Though many parents are confident and often considered ‘good’ drivers, bad habits naturally accumulate with age. These are transferred to your children, possibly by accidental misinformation or lenient supervision. It’s nothing personal - we’re all human and make mistakes, after all, but don’t you want the best for your child?

Most learner drivers need some formal instruction to simply pass their Probationary License Test - parent supervision alone isn’t usually enough. However, to further ensure their safety on the roads, you need a patient, knowledgeable instructor who will guide your child through the ins and outs of driving. Doing so will enculture them with safe driving habits, making them less likely to take dangerous risks on the road.

Henceforth, Eastern Suburbs Driving School’s mission is to create drivers who will not only pass their P plate test, but also make safe, rational decisions on the road to protect themselves and those around them.

As much as we’d like to, the driving school can’t be there for all 120 hours prior to a learner’s P-plate test. The young driver must build independence and confidence by driving with a parent; developing and practicing the skills they have gained in their lessons. Parents play a crucial role in the development of a young learner driver, as many of their driving habits are passed on to their children. This can pose a problem if these habits are not conducive to proper driving technique.

It’s essential that all parents with children who are learning to drive brush up on the road safety rules, and know where their own technique’s strengths and weaknesses lie. This way, they can be more wary of passing along their errors. A few examples would include placement of feet in an automatic car, or starting the car in an improper fashion. These mistakes, though minor, can contribute to the failure of a drive test.

To ensure that your young learner driver learns the best driving habits, we recommend that you book regular driving lessons with the Eastern Suburbs Driving School. Our driving instructors impart correct, time-honoured techniques of driving to ensure that their students are amongst the safest on the roads. As a result, we have on of the highest first-time pass rates around.

A mixture of lessons and independent practice is essential for the development of a young learner driver. Parents who follow this strategy and brush up on the road rules before taking their child out on the road are destined for success. Who knows – you might even learn something about your own driving!

For more information contact us at Eastern Suburbs Driving School.

It’s a fact that teenagers love independence. The thrill of breaking out into the world is universally appealing; going places, meeting people and building a life outside of school and home. Teens on the verge of adulthood, often around eighteen, are generally just finishing their studies and beginning to understand how the world works. There are just as many risks, of course, as there are assured benefits for these young men and women. Getting one’s first car is one of those great moments in any person’s life - not just as a practical means of transportation, but also as a symbol of freedom and independence. Once a teenager gets their P-plates, a brand new world is essentially opened up to them. They’re no longer relegated to the complicated realm of public transport or forced to bum rides off their parents, guardians or peers.

With such freedom, though, comes a considerable degree of responsibility. It’s a tragic fact of life that road fatalities are highest amongst drivers in their early twenties. This is often the result of inadequate road education. Learning road skills isn’t just about memorising the ‘highway code’ of road rules. It’s also about avoiding reckless behaviour, developing courtesy for other drivers and ultimately responsible driving. The best way to ingrain this kind of safe, rational driving attitude is through professional driving lessons, with a qualified instructor. At ESDS, for example, we teach skills that will stick with drivers for many years to come, ensuring safety on the road and sound behaviour. Explore our website for more.

We have a selection of special offers available for those who wish to book a series of lessons. These are a great way to start off the learning process, arranging for a progression of lessons that teach you new skills as you develop. If you are a parent of a young driver, these special deals provide excellent value for money as well as high quality of service.

Our promotional package deals can be found elsewhere on our website . Simply by browsing these pages, you are eligible for one of our package discounts. For example, if you buy five driving lessons, you can get one free. This represents a saving of $55. Or, book a series of  ten lessons, and you can save an incredible $110. ESDS provides some of the best value for new drivers, as well as those needing to consolidate their skills for the final test. Peruse our special packages page, and quote one of the codes when booking your next group of lessons. It’s great value, and a convenient way to get quality instruction.

ESDS is a family-run business that you can trust. We’ve been teaching young drivers sound road skills for years, and that’s why we believe that we have some of the best experience in the business. We pride ourselves on providing a safe learning environment that encourages mature and responsible driving, as well as courtesy on the road. Driving with a professional instructor is the best way to develop proper awareness of the road rules, and ESDS can provide the reliability and reassurance essential for learning these vital skills.

Once you book an appointment with us, either online or by phone, one of instructors will spend time assessing your driving ability and any potential areas for improvement. He or she will then guide you through the driving process, giving feedback and suggestions to help you improve. Our rates include pick-up and drop-off from and to your desired location, so lessons with us are convenient and require a minimum of fuss. Before your lesson, it’s a great idea to browse our website and look through our resources for learner drivers - our FAQ section, for example, has some very useful tips and tricks. Browse around, and book your lesson today!

The two second rule is about the following distance behind the vehicle in front.

The following distance is the space or gap between you and the vehicle in front.

You must keep your vehicle a safe distance from any vehicle in front of you. A safe distance should be enough to allow time to slow down and avoid trouble.

You should be at least two seconds behind the vehicle in front. You can check this by a simple test:

>> Focus on a marker in the distance such as a signpost or tree and note when the vehicle in front passes the marker, then count the number of seconds before your vehicle passes the same marker. Ask your supervising driver to also do this and compare your results.

If your count is not at least two seconds then you are to close.

At least two seconds of time and the distance this represents under ideal driving conditions are necessary to give you time to react to any changes which may happen.

Often, you may need more than two seconds,

This includes:

>> when visibility is poor

>> if conditions are dark

>> if conditions are wet or slippery

>> when you have a heavy load

>> when the road is unmade

You need to develop your judgement skills about what distance at different speeds represents two seconds. This skill will only come with lots of supervised driving experience.

But remember , under any conditions that are less than ideal, a longer gap is recommrnded.

Souce:  The Road to Solo Driving

Drivers of all ages are involved in crashes. However, young drivers have more crashes than others and are more likely to be involved in the same types of crashes.

Two important things that can help reduce the involvement of young people in road crashes are:

1  Having plenty of driving practice during the learner period.

2  Slowing down to provide plenty of space and time to be able to react to the unexpected.

Common errors made by learner drivers are often as a result of:

>> Not scanning the environment well.

>> Misjudging the speed of other vehicles, particularly oncoming cars.

>> Travelling too close to other vehicles.

>> Travelling too fast, both for the road conditions and for their level of experience.

>> Being overconfident in their ability.

>> Speeding.

>> Inattentiveness or fatigue.

The three most common crash types for young drivers involve:

A  Both turning and driving straight ahead at intersections.

B  Rear end crashes.

C  Veering off the road to the left.

A. Both turning and driving straight ahead at intersections

Why do young people become involved in this type of crash ?

>> Poor or insufficient scanning of the driving environment.

>> Not judging the gap in the traffic well.

>> Overconfidence in driving ability.

>> Speeding.

>> Reliance on other drivers to avoid a crash.

B. Rear end crashes

Why do young people become involved in this type of crash ?

Driver at rear :

>>  Speeding.

>>  Not enough space left between vehicles.

>>  Relying on other drivers to avoid a crash.

>>  Driver distraction.

>>  Misjudging the required stopping distance.

Driver in front: 

>>  Driver distracted.

>>  Not doing enough or any mirror or head checks.

>>  Indicating intentions late or not at all.

>>  Misjudging stopping distance, and late braking.

C.    Veering off the road to the left.

Why do young people become involved in this type of crash?

>>  Speeding.

>>  Lack of steering control.

>>  Distraction from the driving Task.

>>  Fatigue.

Source:   ATSB   Key Facts for New Drivers

Why is it often safer to lower your speed limit to below the posted speed ?

Busy roads are full of unexpected problems. A child may see its parents on the opposite side of the road and dart across without looking. You may be in control of your vehicle but you can’t control what other road users may do.

If you reduce your speed, you have more time to react to an unexpected situation.

When roads are wet and slippery it takes much longer for your vehicle to come to a stop after applying the brakes. When it rains after a long period of dry weather it is even more important to go slower, as the rain mixes with oil and dust on the road, making it even more slippery than usual.

Bright sunlight can blind you just for a moment when a hazard appears in the distance. If you are travelling at a slower speed you have time to react safely.

If you are travelling in an unfamiliar area, you will not be aware of the dangers that are around. By slowing down, even by 5 km/h, you give yourself an opportunity to see any hazards and more time to react.

Remember, the slower you go, the more time you have to react to unexpected situations.

Source:  ATSB  Key Facts For New Drivers 

From 23 November 2009, VicRoads is introducing a new and more secure learner permit, probationary licence and driver licence.

VicRoads will no longer issue these over the counter at its Customer Service Centres.

When you obtain, renew or replace your licence VicRoads will mail it to you within about a week.

You will be given a temporary driver licence receipt which you can use until your new licence arrives.

Your old licence remains current until its expiry date and there is no extra cost for this new, more secure licence.

Why the Change

There has been an increase in the illegal use of driver licences to commit fraud.

The new licence has improved security including a new clear, see through section in the centre of the licence.

These features will protect the personal information of the licence holder and make it more difficult to use the licence fraudulently.

This new licence will be manufactured at a highly secure , centralised facility using state-of-the-art technology and advanced printing processes. That’s why you will receive it by mail not on the spot at VicRoads Customer Service Centres.

Source VicRoads Licensing

http:www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Licensing/TypesOfLicences/ThenewVictoriandriverlicence.htm