High powered cars off limits for SA P-platers

P-plate drivers in South Australia will be banned from driving high-powered vehicles from September with the State Government today releasing a list of vehicles that will be off-limits to drivers under the age of 25.

Included on the list are all turbocharged and supercharged petrol-powered cars, modified cars, as well as any vehicle with eight or more cylinders. The ban is far more wide-reaching than the power-to-weight formula used in many other states, including NSW and Queensland.

SA Road Safety Minister, Jack Snelling, says the new restrictions come in response to statistics that he says prove high-powered cars are over represented in fatal accidents involving less experienced drivers.

"Too many young people are killing themselves on the roads and that often happens when an inexperienced driver is driving a car that they just don't have the necessary experience to control, particularly in dangerous circumstances," said Snelling.

"The vast majority of Learner and P-platers aim to drive safely and responsibly, but there's increasing community concern over young, inexperienced drivers getting behind the wheel of these very powerful vehicles."

South Australian State Government statistics show drivers aged between 16 and 20 are three times more likely to be involved in a serious road accident, and that 27 per cent of all fatal road accidents in SA involved drivers aged between 16 and 24. There are currently 76,000 P-plate drivers on that state's roads. The shift in SA's road laws comes as part of the move to a Graduated Licensing Scheme, similar to that found across the border in Victoria.

From September 4, any South Australian driver under the age of 25 who obtains a provisional license and is caught driving a vehicle on the banned list will be fined $250 and receive three demerit points. If the matter goes to court, the fine could be increased to as much as $1250. Young drivers breaching the new rules may also have additional restrictions placed on their licence, including night-time driving curfews.

The good news for drivers of high-powered cars already holding a probationary licence is that they will be exempt from the change in the law. Further, certain allowances will be made if there is no other vehicle available or if the vehicle is required for work.

"If you already own one of these cars and don't have another car available, or one of these cars happens to be the family car and no other car is available or if you need to drive one of these cars for work, you're able to make an application to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles for an exemption in those sort of special circumstances," explained Snelling.

"The ban on these high-powered vehicles will continue to apply to drivers during their P1 and P2 licence stages while they're under 25 through until they obtain their full licence."

To check which vehicles are banned under the new rules, visit www.mylicence.sa.gov.au

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