Reducing Youth Road Toll - Essay Example

BUSINESS THE YOUTH ROAD TOLL REDUCING YOUTH ROAD TOLL This is in response to the recent policy matter on the frequent deaths of our young drivers. Statistics have shown that young drivers are two and half times "more likely to be killed in a road accident" (Briefing) than are older drivers. But why this greater likelihood Is it due to a falsification of age on the part of prospective young drivers, since this trend is new and has not existed over the many past years during which youths have been behind the wheels The report explicitly refers to "current figures" (Briefing), meaning young drivers who had been certified fit to drive had been less likely to be killed in a road accident than they are nowadays. In other words, 17- 25 year-old drivers had in the past shown greater maturity, self-control, and sense of responsibility behind the wheels. Now, what difference has existed between the 17-25 year-old drivers of the 1990s and the 17-25 year-old drivers of these days The age falsification postulate seems justifiable. Since, all things being equal, responsible driving on the part of the youth can well be ascribed to maturity (in age terms), to self-control, and to a sense of responsibility, policy reviews regarding frequent road mishaps should incorporate issues relating to these three physical and qualitative credentials. My submission will therefore examine the recent policy reviews in relation to these credentials. A. LEARNER DRIVERS TO LOG IN 120 HOURS OF SUPERVISED DRIVING EXPERIENCE The Discussion Paper proposes the introduction into the young driver licence system of a logbook certifying a completion of 120-hour exposure to various road traffic conditions under the supervision of their family members or some qualified instructor. Researches have however shown that: 1. The various traffic conditions to which prospective drivers must be exposed are not always accessible to learner drivers in rural and remote areas. This means the precondition of such exposure might encourage fraudulence and falsification for such rural-dwellers as are unwilling to go to the pains of travelling to urban area for such exposure, or who cannot gain this exposure without having to make special elaborate arrangements which they cannot justify. 2. From precedence, most learner drivers are always eager to get their provisional driver licences; they often wish to complete their on-road training within the stipulated minimum period of six months. Consequently, they are unlikely to achieve the mandatory 120 hours within a period of six months. This fact again poses the temptation of fraudulence and falsification-prospective learners might be tempted to make up false logbook records at times with the co-operation of their supervising relatives who perhaps, rightly or wrongly, feel them competent enough to drive without supervision. Consequently, it is recommendable that: i. The minimum period of learner licence should be extended to eighteen months. Since researches suggest that "A compulsory 120 hours will almost triple the amount of experience most learner drivers get before they drive unaccompanied" (Web Young driver's paper) ; that is, tripling the six months to eighteen months will allow drivers just as much time to gain thrice as much experience as they currently have. This measure will give little justification or cause for fraudulence and falsification. The proportionality basis of this recommendation, if compared to the practicality of the current proposal of a minimum of 12 months, is certainly desirable. ii. Against temptations to fraudulence and falsification of logbook details (e.g. the temptation to make up details), supervising instructors should not be acquainted to the learner driver. iii. Most important: a systematic mechanism should be set up for age verification. Reports have shown that youths of as young ages as fourteen and fifteen secure or posses provisional driving licences. B. INTRODUCE PASSENGER AND LATE NIGHT DRIVING RESTRICTION ON YOUNG DRIVERS This proposal is founded on investigations into the incidences of accidents that occurred among youths during night driving, either singly or in company of passengers, and accidents that involved peer passengers without open licences during day or night driving. The incidence of accidents involving young drivers was observed to be greater at night than during day, and accidents occurred more frequently when young drivers are accompanied by people aged under 21 (peer passengers) , who do not have open licences, than when accompanied by older passengers. This situation for night-driving incidence is probably due to the fact that at nights youths tend to violate traffic regulations and commit offences and lapses in the belief that they might not be caught. As for the peer- passenger occurrences, it can be guessed that carefreeness or inexperience (or both) on the part of both driver and peer passenger is responsible. These often engage in free actions, chats and discussions that easily affect the concentration of the driver ( For instance, a peer driver might tease the driver into an argument, or try to amuse him by tapping his hands, stroking his beards, or slapping him, even while vehicle is on full speed). While the reasons, as surmised above, contain threats and dangers, the proposed restrictions might prove too limiting. Among other things, such a restriction might cause: 1. "In convenience for families and friends who may be required to drive young people" (Web Young Drivers) [for instance, young people in an epilepsy or accident emergency might need to be hurried by a young driver to the hospital for attention; the same applies to old people in such a situation; unlicensed peer passengers might not be able to afford public transport, and might need to be driven by a young driver to their place of work or to school] 2. Reduction in mobility and access of young people- for instance, three young people aged under 21, who have a joint tasks at school or work, are forbidden to go in the same vehicle. 3. Inability to fulfil working or schooling conditions which might oblige late travelling for young people, who either own vehicles or have unlimited access to them. 4. Irresponsiveness to night-time emergencies - accident or ill-health, for instance-in which there are no older people on hand to drive, and only younger ones are available. C. REVIEW OF PENALITIES AND SANCTIONS FOR LEARNER DRIVERS WHO BREAK THE LAW It is believed that sanctions for learners who break traffic rules will help reduce accident rates and therefore youth road toll on roads. Yes, penalties are always a deterrent, but the kind of deterrent matters. The following deterrents have been suggested: 1. Monetary fines and restrictions like suspension of learner licence 2. Extending the licence period for periods corresponding to the gravity of offence committed 3. Mandating a repeat of the road exercises 1. Monetary fines and restrictions like suspension of learner licence: The imposition of monetary fines has been a form of penalty for a long time. However, there have been no records establishing or suggesting a correlation between the rate of enforcing such fine penalties and a reduction in the incidence of violating traffic rules. Then, one must ask: if the enforcement of fine penalties means a "taking something off" the offender, that is, a loss, then the repetition of traffic offences, or at the lack of an appreciable decrease in its incidence, must mean that the "taking off" is too mild to pass the cautionary message across. Consequently, a sharp upward review of fines would be more effective. However, no blanket rule must be made in this regard, but the fines must be made proportional to the incomes of the offenders or to those of their wards. When large chunks of the incomes of offenders or of their wards are sacrificed to settling penalties, then there will certainly be a relationship between the rates at which penalties are enforced and the decrease in the violation of traffic rules. The proportionality to the incomes is, however, crucial to equity and justice. 2. Extending the licence period for periods corresponding to the gravity of offence committed: This extension should be made more severe than it currently is. However, as is ideal, the conviction or allegation must be both true and fair. Instances of false convictions and allegations abound, perhaps due to ill-feeling between the young drivers and the convicting officials, or due to some factor other out-of-the-way. 3. Mandating repeat of road exercises: This too will, no doubt, make young drivers more responsible. The apparent belief behind such mandating is that the offending learner commits offences because there is a gap in his or her learning; or because he or she has forgotten something essential to driving safely on the roads. This apparent reason is logical and defensible, but does it not suggest a gap in the tests given to such violating ones before they were certified qualified to drive on roads Therefore, a more rigorous and systematic testing is recommendable as well a keen and close scrutiny and inspection of the prospective drivers before and during testing. CONCLUSION The recommendations above, though seemingly critical of the proposed reviews to driving the established policies, are not to belittle the proposed reviews. They are directed towards two things: One, ensuring justice, equity and practicality in the meting out of penalties to the young- driver offenders; two, creating more conducive conditions for both the development and the safety of young drivers. REFERENCES 1. Beth, R (2003).Shadows of Conduct Ethics and State Politics.( George University Press) 2. California secretary of State (2000)- Political Reform Division Home Page. 6th December 2005, < http://www.ss.ca.gov/prd/prd.htm> 3. Discussion Paper: Queensland Youth on the road and in control. 6th December 2005, 4. Kelly, 1998, ' The Potentials of Political Lobbying', MA PolSci thesis, University of Babcock 5. Lobbying. 3 December 2005, < http://www.amnesty.org.uk/action/lobbying/> 6 Lobbyist. 4th December 2005,. 7. Michael, D & Anthony, S. Ideas and think Tanks in Contemporary Britain ( Routledge UK) 8 Miller,C ( 2000) Politico's Guide to Political Lobbying(Politicos Publishing) 9. Lucy, B (2002). Marching on Washington (University of California Press) 10. Political Lobbying. 7th December 2005, Read More