Insurer RACQ has called for increased road safety education and police enforcement, prompted by frightening new data that revealed hundreds of thousands of Queensland’s most inexperienced drivers have been caught excessively speeding.
Data collected by the Department of Transport and Main Roads for the period between Jan. 2013 and April 30 showed that more than 212,000 learner-drivers and P-platers had been caught driving between 13km/h and 20km/h over the limit in the past five years.
“These are scary stats and show just how foolish many young Queensland drivers are behind the wheel,” said Clare Hunter, RACQ spokesperson. “We know this is a very vulnerable group of road users given their inexperience behind the wheel, and it’s such a concern because travelling at these speeds could cause serious injuries, or even death, in the event of a crash.”
Hunter said the data showed the need for more road safety education and police enforcement.
“Speeding is one of the five biggest killers on Queensland roads, and it’s shocking so many of our most inexperienced drivers are taking these risks,” Hunter said. “It reinforces the need for more road safety education for young drivers on the dangers of speeding, and that’s why the work our RACQ teachers do in our state’s schools is so vital. Our road toll is already far higher than it was this time last year, so we also need to see novice drivers paying closer attention to speed limits – especially if they want to make it to an open licence.”
