Young NSW Men Could Be Banned From Getting Their License Until They Turn 21

Experts say there needs to be more safety measures.

Road safety experts in New South Wales are set to make a proposal to restrict young men from receiving their license until they reach the age of 21.

The controversial proposal has come after the tragic crash in Buxton this week in which five teenagers unfortunately died.

Ann Williamson, president of The Australasian College of Road Safety, said young people account for a quarter of all crashes in the state.

“The first six months of licensing, in particular, people are very vulnerable to crashes,” she said.

This year, there have been more than 200 road deaths in NSW, and 155 of them have been men.

Ann said the inexperience of young drivers can be really dangerous on the roads, and more needs to be done.

“It’s not that the road authorities and the policy decision-makers aren’t aware and there are a number of restrictions on inexperienced and novice young drivers … but it’s not enough. It clearly isn’t enough.”

Her proposal is that the NSW Government prevent young men from getting their license until they’re in their early 20s.

“Young males, perhaps they should be 21 or 22, before they get their licence.”

The proposal is already controversial, and although it’s probably pretty unlikely to pass through the government, the NSW Premier is looking at other restrictions.

Dominic Perrottett, NSW Premier, has reportedly looked into restricting the amount of passengers a P-plater can have.

Currently, P-platers in NSW aren’t allowed to have more than one passenger under the age of 21 between 11pm and 5am, but Premier Perrottett might be looking to go even further.

In Victoria, red P-Platers can only carry one passenger between the age of 16 and 22, no matter what time of day.

With young men consistently outnumbering women in road crashes across the country, the government is looking to increase safety on the roads.