Time to hit the brakes on a licence to kill

8 September 2022

By A/Associate Professor George Rechnitzer & Emeritus Professor Raphael Grzebieta.

Yes, the death of five young people in the Buxton crash is a horrendous tragedy. But even more sad and shocking is that this type of predictable tragedy has been going on for decades resulting in thousands of young drivers and passengers killed on our roads, averaging 236 fatalities annually for 17-25 year olds.

This will not stop until we take one critical measure that we can and must do now: implementing modern electronic systems to take unlimited control away from the driver’s right foot – which is not much different to being able to pull the trigger on a gun and having a licence to kill.

That is – the simple implementation of a speed controller (Intelligent Speed Adaptation or ISA) fitted to all new vehicles that stops the driver from exceeding the speed limit with the caveat that any drivers under the age of 25 cannot over-ride the system.

We need a reframing of our thinking and indeed a paradigm shift recognising vehicles can become weapons. All it takes is an intemperate driver’s press of the accelerator to release the great power of the car in an uncontrolled manner that results in death and destruction.

It is unconscionable that we, as a society, still allow drivers freedom to accelerate to totally inappropriate speeds well above a speed limit. We must stop this licence to kill that any driver has at their disposal simply by accelerating too hard for too long to reach speeds that can inevitably lead to predictable shocking crashes, deaths and lifelong debilitating serious injuries.

Strong measures are readily taken when there is a will to do so, even with ferocious resistance – take the dramatic gun law changes brought in by PM John Howard in 1996 after the horrific shooting deaths of 35 people at the Port Arthur massacre. We need to take the similarly senseless ‘massacre’ of vastly greater numbers of our young people on the road just as seriously, and act now.

We call for legislation, similar to European Union legislation, requiring all new vehicles sold in Australia be fitted with ISA that prevents the car from exceeding the speed limit for young drivers. Would it end the road toll? No, but this would be a huge first step reducing not only young drivers but all drivers, driving in a reckless manner which imperils themselves, their passengers and all road users.

The solution is not about more speed cameras, fines or jailing people. It is about implementing strict controls at the source, on how vehicles can be driven on our public roads. Such speed control systems would integrate with and complement all the other safety systems that are so prominently installed in new vehicles, to actively protect all of our children from more such tragedies.

Our heartfelt tears go out to the families and community affected by this horrific senseless crash, and the tragic death of these young students, who can best be honoured by taking a courageous stand for prevention.

So let’s urgently demand and implement strong and effective speed control requirements into all new vehicles, and remove the unfettered ability for young drivers particularly, to have a licence to kill.

Contacts:

A/Associate Professor George Rechnitzer: Mobile: 0418 884 174; Email: [email protected]

Emeritus Professor Raphael Grzebieta: Mobile: 0411 234 057: Email: [email protected]