Beating the hoons and saving lives

I propose that all drivers under the age of 21 must display a “Y” plate on their motor vehicles. Our police will then be instructed to apprehend any Y plate driver who commits any traffic infringement, no matter how minor. Breaches of any road rule, such as changing lanes without indicating or even the smallest squealing of tyres, would attract the maximum penalty of fines and demerit points. Serious offences such as driving without a license would result in automatic impoundment of the vehicle, regardless of whether the driver could be prosecuted under our new hoon laws.

As Jim Kelly reported in the Sunday Times on October 9, getting tough with P-plate drivers in New Zealand has made a big difference to the death toll: But the deaths of 101 young people in that country from motor vehicle accidents in 2002 is still unacceptable.

In case you think this attention to petty crime won’t work, consider New York again. When the new Broken Windows policy was adopted in the early 1990s, graffiti artists were allowed to spend three nights defacing new train carriages. But they were kept under surveillance at all times and apprehended as soon as they’d finished their work. They were then forced to see their “artwork” removed or painted over. Strange as it may seem, these graffiti artists were devastated by the loss of what they considered to be the product of their talent and three days of hard work. Most never tried to deface carriages again.

We have to get a message into the heads of all young drivers that any traffic infringement will not be tolerated. We have to warn them that, thanks to the “Y” plate, they will be subject to far more public and police scrutiny than in the past. We have to make them realise that they will get caught, sooner rather than later, if they do stupid or illegal things while driving. They have to have the belief burnt into their brains that they will pay whatever penalties their stupid driving behaviour warrants.

Most importantly, we have to say to them that they will look anything but cool to their mates or girlfriends if they have to catch the bus, ride a bicycle or walk once they lose their license or their car.

It is a privilege, not a right, for any person to own a motor vehicle and to have a license to drive that vehicle. As such, we can take that motor vehicle registration or drivers’ license back if the privilege is abused. And we have to show that we mean what we say.

New York City repaired broken windows on city buildings within 24 hours. That sent out a message that even minor anti-social actions would not be tolerated. West Australians should send out a similar strong message to young drivers about the need to comply with all traffic laws. We have to be absolutely determined and committed if we are to stop young people from killing themselves on our roads.