Oz tightens up bike licensing laws

Increase in bike deaths prompts graduated licence system

Posted: 2 September 2010
by Visordown News

WOULD BE motorcyclists wishing to gain a motorcycle licence in the Australian state of Victoria will soon find it harder under a new graduated licensing system.

The state's spiralling fatality rate has prompted the move, which could see new riders undergoing a period of on-road supervision before being allowed to ride solo, with options including 25, 50 or 120 hours.

A public discussion paper has been released this week, canvassing options for a new motorcycle licensing system; a graduated system for car drivers is already in place in the state.

"It is important we have this discussion with motorcyclists and the wider community about the best ways to improve safety and reduce the risks for riders," said Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas.

State statistics reveal motorcyclists account for less than four per cent of all vehicles registered but comprise 14 per cent of all deaths and serious injuries.

It's expected the details of the new licensing system wil be announced within 12 months.

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Discuss this story

AA AA

There is already a graduated system in place, this will make it almost impossible to get a licence. 120 hours of dragging your mates out to supervise you, IF you have mates that ride? Not going to happen.

What the safety-nazis don't tell you, is that unlicenced riders with no training account for 30 times the injury rate (per rider) than licenced riders. This will make for more unlicenced untrained people, because it'll be 'too hard' to do the right thing. Bad move.

Posted: 02/09/2010 at 12:36

p baker

The more distractions vehicle drivers have to play with, the more motorcyclists will be wiped out. Cell phones, GPS's, ipods ,coffe cup holders, and now downloadable video to watch on your cell phone as you drive. All the motorcycle training in the world will not help when there are so many dumb arse car drivers on the roads.

Posted: 02/09/2010 at 15:02

antimagneto

Probably not so much an everyday occurrence where you are but the sight of a Muslim woman driving a car looking out of a tiny slit concerns me. Are they called burkas? Combination of this outfit with typical Asian car maintenance standards (I often see car brake pad backplates on the roadside) does not inspire confidence. Same applies to some extent to western women with hairstyles that mask peripheral vision. Still, all part of the challenge staying alive on a bike provides, perhaps that's one of it's appeals.

Posted: 02/09/2010 at 22:56

pyndman

They may as well just try and ban bikes altogether. The Aussie public are so conservative these days they'd believe anything an authority told them.

Posted: 07/09/2010 at 03:55

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