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Liberals Focus On Safety For Young Country DriversAfter yet another frightening holiday period on Victorian roads, something must be done to address the problem of young drivers losing their lives on country roads. By Phillip Davis - 20th April 2006 - Back to News Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said every weekend and holiday period country Victorians hold their breath anticipating more news of young road trauma victims.
The Bracks Government has done nothing to address the problem of young drivers dying on country roads.
"It is clear that further education is needed for young drivers to improve their safety on our roads," Mr Davis said.
"Charlton’s driver education centre has had great success in educating young drivers about the rights, responsibilities and skills necessary to stay safe on our roads.
"Teenagers from schools both locally and across the state utilise this driver safety facility, and have reported considerable success in preventing road trauma.
"But despite this success, the Bracks Government has buried its head in the sand, refusing to provide funds to keep this centre operating."
Mr Davis said a Liberal Government would, in conjunction with the private sector, Transport Accident Commission, Victoria Police and the Department of Education and Training, invest $1.8 million over four years to establish a further six driver education centres across Victoria, based on an enhanced Charlton model.
"These centres will go a long way to educate young people to become responsible and safety-conscious drivers, giving them the appropriate skills to stay safe on our country roads," Mr Davis said.
The centres will be introduced in conjunction with a series of other safety measures targeted at young drivers, including:
· Increase current efforts to target young drivers with random breath tests at times they are most likely to be involved in alcohol-related accidents;
· Require a minimum of 120 hours practical driving experience for learner drivers and a Liberal Government will meet half the cost of three driving lessons for each learner driver;
- Subsidise half the cost of best practice driving courses for P-plate licence holders;
- Enable young drivers to visit medical centres to reinforce the potential consequences of road trauma; and,
- Develop basic car maintenance courses for learner drivers and include maintenance questions on the driver’s licence test.
"A Liberal Government is committed to the needs of young country drivers. This issue must be tackled head-on, instead of the Bracks Government burying its head in the sand," Mr Davis said.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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