NSW to offer $5000 subsidies for young drivers
Up to 1000 subsidies will be offered to eligible young drivers to help them purchase a newer and/or safer carNew South Wales has followed the example set by Victoria by announcing its own take on the southern state’s ‘unsafe2safe’ initiative, dubbed Safer Cars for Country Kids.
The program will provide up to 1000 young drivers – aged under 25 – living in regional areas with a $5000 subsidy to put toward the purchase of a safer and/or newer vehicle if they are the registered owner of “a car 16 years or older that is unrated or has a one or two-star used car safety rating”.
Deputy premier Paul Toole said the initiative recognised young drivers are much more likely to inherit an old family car or buy an older, less safe vehicle as their first car on the basis of budget.
“This landmark trial will provide a helping hand to young drivers to buy a safer set of wheels – and give their families greater confidence in their safety every time they’re on the road,” he said.
The program will start with a trial phase involving just 50 young drivers in ‘select areas’ before being rolled out to the rest of the state.
Exactly which areas the trial phase will be conducted in has not been disclosed. A NSW government spokesperson said detailed eligibility criteria will be available “soon”.
“This is extra incentive for kids in the bush to ditch their old cars and upgrade to a more modern vehicle with better safety features,” premier Dominic Perrottet said.
“Young drivers in regional areas clock up the miles, and this is one way we can lower the risk of country kids being seriously injured or losing their life in car accidents.”
The program is scheduled to start later this year and has drawn praise from driver educators and road safety bodies alike.
Driver education specialist Matthew Irvine said staying safe on the road presents extra challenges for young people living in the country and that safer vehicles had been proven to save lives.
“People living in regional NSW usually spend more time on the road, driving longer distances and at higher speeds,” he said.
“As someone who educates young drivers, today’s announcement is a big positive and a step in the right direction to saving more lives on our roads.”
Safer Australian Roads and Highways president Peter Frazer echoed these sentiments and said too many new drivers were being killed on NSW country roads.
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