P Plater ProgramP Plater Program
Murcotts P Plater Driver Training Program has been developed as a specialised course for sponsored groups of young drivers.
PLEASE NOTE: This course is not currently offered as a public course.
This course was created to address the problem of newly licensed drivers being at great risk in their first 12 months of driving. There is a serious shortfall in post-licence driver training in Australia. We want to ensure that every young driver in Australia is given the opportunity to attend this program and develop life saving driving skills.
What is the P Plater Problem?
The 18 – 25 year old group of probationary drivers are over-represented in vehicle crashes particularly in their first 6 - 12 months of driving. Australian research shows that in their first year of driving young drivers are almost four times more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious injury crash than more experienced drivers. These statistics are disturbing. While the number of road deaths among 18 to 25 year old drivers has decreased over recent years, in Victoria alone, around 20 to 30 young drivers die every year due to road crashes and on average, 600 young drivers are seriously injured..
Probationary Drivers are at high risk due to their lack of experience in handling a wide variety of traffic, road and weather conditions. In addition, the shift from being a Learner with the supervising driver providing another pair of hazard detecting eyes, to going solo, represents a significant risk increase.
The requirement for Learners to complete a minimum of 120 hours pre-licence practice is very helpful but unfortunately many Learners and their supervisors fail to seek opportunities to experience all conditions. Often the 120 hours is made up of suburban driving at relatively low speeds and on familiar roads. Once licensed the P Plate driver is permitted to travel at speeds up to 110 kmh. Even at speeds of 80 to 90 kmh on narrow country roads including unsealed roads, the risks are extreme especially if the P Plater has not practised in these situations.
Perhaps the biggest factor relating to driver experience is that drivers who have driven longer build up a library of possible hazardous situations in their mind, sometimes from past crashes and near misses. They therefore recognise situations more quickly and change their driving accordingly. There is usually a big difference in how experienced drivers identify risks and hazards compared to P Plate drivers.
It follows that the sorts of crashes P Plate drivers have in their first months of going solo usually relate to visual and spatial perception errors. Turning in front of an oncoming vehicle causing a collision is a common crash for inexperienced drivers. Their judgement of closing speeds and distance is often poor. Similarly P Plate drivers have a high rate of colliding with the rear of the vehicle in front because they do not understand the distance required to stop a vehicle or driver reaction time. Distractions such as passengers and mobile phones further complicates these problems.
Remember, one of the most likely causes of P Plate driver crashes is the belief that just because they hold a licence they are "qualified".
The good news is that many P Plate drivers get through their probationary period without incident. And girls have better driver safety records than young males.
Stereotyping young drivers as hoons and speedsters fails to recognise that most young people being injured or killed in road crashes are well intentioned, responsible drivers who were doing the right thing by the law. Very often their crash was as a result of misinterpreting hazards or unintentional risk taking. If we look at the National single vehicle, run off a straight road crashes, we find that in the last three years, 60 young drivers died and over 600 were seriously injured. These were not hoon drivers and the majority were travelling at or under the posted speed limit. They just didn't understand the situational risk because they never received appropriate training.
The Solution
Murcotts P Plater Program has one key objective - to help young drivers avoid crashes. Designed to deliver the very best in Behaviour Based Defensive Driver Training, this blended learning approach includes theoretical, practical and online interventions delivered over a period of 6 months.
The program consists of six key elements:
- A one day Defensive Driver Training Course focusing on driver thinking and decision making
- Completion of the BAAMS® Driver Profile Tool
- Completion of the P Plater eDrive™ online Driver Education Program
- On Road Driver Coaching Session
- Drink and Drug Driver Education Program
- Participant Self Assessment Feedback and Review Process
Learning outcomes and content
The key learning outcome of this program is to assist young drivers to develop the skills that underpin crash free driving. These include:
- Driver self-awareness (insight)
- Dealing with overconfidence - attitudes
- Risk taking
- High order skills including spatial perception, awareness of issues around speed and distance
- Identification of hazards and risks
- Vision skills
Ergonomics for effective driver vision- Driver distraction and inattention
- Proactive vs reactive driver responses
- Road law review
Attendance Information:
Participants must be aged between 18 and 25 years and hold a current, valid Probationary driver licence.
Spectators are not permitted.
Drivers must sign an indemnity prior to participating in the practical component.
Particpants should bring their own lunch.
Participants must wear suitable clothing and be prepared for changing weather conditions including rain, wind, sun, etc.
Suitable footware must be worn - no thongs.
Vehicle:
Participants must provide their own vehicle for the practical activities -preferably a vehicle with which they are familiar. It must be registered and roadworthy.
Tyres should be inflated to 36psi.
Two participants may share the same vehicle.
Duration:
The one day program commences at 9:00am and concludes at 4:00pm
The additional components will be rolled out over 6 months following the one day program.
Course Material:
Each participant receives Murcotts full colour Defensive Driving Program Workbook which is designed to enhance the learning during the program.
At the conclusion of the program, participants also receive Murcotts’ 29 page full colour Defensive Driving Handbook containing a summary of the Defensive Driving Program and additional information to assist being a safer driver.
Certificate Of Completion:
A certificate of completion will be issued to participants at the conclusion of the program.
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COURSE DATES, VENUE LOCATIONS AND BOOKINGS:
For Dates and Bookings - Please Contact Us
