Licensing in the spotlight in Vic
Discussion paper signals big changes for Victoria's rider licensing system, plus potentially skyrocketing licence costs for new ridersVictoria's transport and licensing authority, VicRoads, has released a document titled Graduated Licensing for Motorcyclists, A Discussion Paper 2010. Tied in with the State's 'Road Safety and Transport Strategic Action Plan for Powered Two Wheelers 2009-2013' the 65-page document examines the pros and cons of the introduction of a range of changes to the current system, and calls for public comment to be made before Friday, 29 October.
The paper also lists projected costings for each of the measures being put up for discussion. One of the measures discussed, completing up to 120 hours of supervised riding, suggests that in a worst case scenario a novice rider without access to an experienced rider to assist them may be faced with costs of nearly $14,000 if they need to hire the services of an accredited rider training instructor.
In addition to this, other suggested measures for changing the licensing system include:
- Extending the period under which novice riders have to ride a LAMS-approved (Learner Approved Motorcycle Scheme) motorcycle
- Prohibiting novice riders from riding between certain night-time hours
- Requiring novice riders to wear a high visibility vest and a minimum standard of protective motorcycle gear
- Placing an 'auto only' restriction on any rider who has obtained their licence on a vehicle with an automatic transmission (ie a scooter)
The discussion paper states that no amendment to the basic framework of Victoria's LAMS system is needed, other than an extension of the period for which the LAMS power-to-weight ratio restriction is required. Similarly, the paper states that no change is required to Victoria's minimum age restriction on a motorcycle learner's permit, which is currently set at 18 (the minimum age for a learner's permit for a Victorian driver is 16).
Click here for more information on VicRoads' graduated licensing system proposal, and click here to view the discussion paper PDF.
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