NSW bans mobile phones in cars for new drivers

Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, has issued a blanket ban on all L- and P-plate drivers from using mobile phones – at any time and for any reason.

These rules are already in place for L-plate drivers and P1 (red plates) drivers but now P2 (green plates) drivers will be banned from using mobile phones at any time under the revised policy, effective December 1, 2016.

"From 1 December 2016, P2 licence holders will no longer be permitted to use a mobile phone at all while driving or riding. P2 licence holders will have the same restrictions as learner and P1 licence holders," reads the NSW government's legal statement.

If caught, learner and provisional drivers will lose four demerit points and be fined $325. That fine rises to $433 (same demerit points) if the mobile phone usage occurs in a school zone.

Enacted by NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay, the new laws are in response to the NSW road toll, which has experienced a sharp spike in 2016.

So far in 2016 the road toll in NSW stands at 332 people, representing a rise of 42 deaths, year on year.

"It is quite obvious that people are being complacent on our roads," NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said in response to the roll toll spike.

"The common factors in fatal crashes we know are drink and drug driving, speed, fatigue and distraction.

"And with significant numbers of police and highway patrol vehicles on the roads it is quite obvious that personal responsibility is clearly lacking for many road users, be they drivers, pedestrians, cyclists or whatever."

Last year (2015) saw NSW's road toll reach 350, a three-year high.

As new cars become safer, laws stricter and "safe-t-cam" speed cameras more abundant than ever, it's clear that traditional approaches to reducing the road toll are not working.

In November 2017, NSW will introduce new laws requiring learner drivers to pass a hazard perception test before moving on to their P1 provisional licence. New drivers who are caught speeding will also be given six-month extensions to their provisional licences.

Australian motor racing legend, Bathurst 1000 and Le Mans 24 Hours champion and now advanced driver trainer, Geoff Brabham, previously told motoring.com.au that a systemic failure by governments and road authorities was to blame for a lack of understanding of the risks involved in driving.

He said the focus on speeding was illogical.

"We as Australians – I think – drive slower than any other country I've ever been to... Yet people still have accidents and people still die on the roads, so yes speed is important, but unfortunately that’s all we talk about in this country," he said.

"There's so much more to it to keep people safe on the roads than just speed. They need to cover the other things [during licence testing] in tandem if they’re going to make an impact. At the moment that's not happening."

The National Guide on getting a drivers licence: