The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has launched a campaign to warn young drivers of the risks of night-time driving.
Minister for Road Safety, Ben Carroll said new research found that P-plate drivers, in their first year on the roads, were seven times more likely to be killed or injured while driving at night than fully licensed drivers.
Mr Carroll said that on average, 31 first-year P-platers are killed or seriously injured while driving at night in Victoria each year out of approximately 50,000 new drivers annually.
“The TAC’s new campaign 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,” Mr Carroll said.
He said the TAC’s campaign, Parental Control, complemented the 2017 increase in the amount of time learner drivers were required to spend driving at night before receiving their probationary licence, from 10 to 20 hours.
The Minister said a range of initiatives, including the Graduated Licensing System and the Young Driver Safety package, had reduced road trauma among young drivers in high-risk situations over the past decade.
“However, there is more work to do – at any time of day, first-year P-platers are significantly more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious injury crash than fully licensed drivers, with the risk increasing at night or in inclement weather,” he said.
Mr Merlino said the TAC campaign would run until mid-May online, on catch-up TV services, radio and outdoor at petrol stations.
