The Transport Accident Commission is launching a campaign warning of the dangers of night-time driving.
The campaign urges parents, guardians and supervisors to educate learner drivers about the hazards that come with driving at night
Learner drivers are required to complete at least 20 hours of supervised night time driving, with research showing P-Platers are about seven times more likely to be killed or injured while driving at night compared to fully licenced drivers.
The number of young people dying on Victorian roads, particularly at night, is behind the push.
On average, around 31 first-year P-platers are killed or seriously injured while driving at night in Victoria each year, with approximately 50,000 new drivers hitting the road annually.
So far this year, young drivers aged between 18 and 25 have made up around 20 per cent of all driver fatalities –while this age group accounts for approximately 10 per cent of all licence holders.
Of the 14 drivers in this age group killed in 2022, seven of the crashes have occurred between 6pm and 6am.
“It is a sad reality that at any time of day, first-year P-platers are significantly more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious injury crash than fully licensed drivers, and research shows that risk increases at night,” Minister for Roads and Road safety Ben Carroll said.
“Experience and maturity are crucial when it comes to the safety of young drivers – this campaign urges parents, guardians and supervisors to educate learners around the risks and ensure they get at least 20 hours of practice at night.”
