Australia
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) first commenced in Australia in the mid 1960s with New South Wales introducing provisional licences on 4 January 1966. Learner licences had been in use since 1952. The provisional phase was for 12 months and had 40mph speed restriction. Today in all Australian states, newly licensed drivers are required by law to display P-plates for varying lengths of time. The P is usually a red or green letter on a white background or a white letter on a red or green background (Victoria & Western Australia only). In New South Wales and Victoria there are two classes of provisional licence, red P-plates are for the first year after passing the Learner test and then after passing a computerised test they are green for two to three years. Western Australia requires six months of red P-plates, where provisional drivers are under a 12 am – 5 am curfew, and one and a half years of green P-plates.
On 1 July 2000, New South Wales introduced a three stage Graduated Licensing Scheme (GLS).
Stage one is a learner licence with the requirement to complete 50 hours of supervised driving (increased to 120 hours 1 July 2007). Stage two is a one year P1 probationary licence (with red P plates). Stage three is a three year P2 probationary licence (with green P plates).
On 1 July 2010, Victoria introduced the Graduated Licensing Systems (GLS).
Stage one is a one year P1 probationary licence (with red P plates). Stage two is a three year P2 probationary licence (with green P plates). P1 drivers are prohibited from using a mobile phone of any kind. P1 drivers are banned from towing, except for work or when supervised. P1 drivers can carry no more than one passenger aged between 16 years of age and less than 22 years, unless the passengers are immediate family members. A good driving record will be necessary to progress to the next licence stage.
As of July 2007, newly issued Queensland drivers licences have new restrictions for those under 25. Learners must first log 100 hours of driving experience (of which 10 must be undertaken at night) before taking their practical driving examination. Learners can boost this experience by taking professional lessons which counts for 3 times the hours, for up to 10 hours (or 30 logbook hours.) After a period of one year provisional drivers must then pass a hazard-perception test to move from red to green P-Plates where previously only a 3 year duration was required. New restrictions also prevent any under-25, Queensland provisional licence-holder from carrying more than one passenger under the age of 21, who is not an immediate family member, between the hours of 11pm and 5am
Read more about this topic: Graduated Driver Licensing
Famous quotes containing the word australia:
“I like Australia less and less. The hateful newness, the democratic conceit, every man a little pope of perfection.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)
“It is very considerably smaller than Australia and British Somaliland put together. As things stand at present there is nothing much the Texans can do about this, and ... they are inclined to shy away from the subject in ordinary conversation, muttering defensively about the size of oranges.”
—Alex Atkinson, British humor writer. repr. In Present Laughter, ed. Alan Coren (1982)