Start your engines: Driving student Laura Cousland prepares for the forum in Maroondah. Picture: Wayne Hawkins
YOUNG drivers will have the opportunity to discuss issues and give feedback directly to decision-makers at an upcoming forum in Ringwood.
The forum, organised by METEC Driver Training, wants people from 16-25 to take part in the round-table discussions.
METEC general manager Neill Sheldon said the forum wanted input from a range of young people to gauge attitudes to driving and to listen to their experiences on existing legislation such as licensing, driver experience, road law and the needs of young people.
"The forum is an opportunity to hear what young people think and feel about driving and to feed this back to government and road safety organisations," Mr Sheldon said.
Victorian statistics show the 16-25 age group make up about 28 per cent of road-users but is involved in almost 32 per cent of accidents.
"If we can learn from and understand influences that affect young drivers then we can take steps to apply this knowledge to
initiatives aimed at reducing the high incidence of accidents among them," Mr Sheldon said.
The forum will be attended by senior government ministers, MPs and representatives from VicRoads, the TAC, Victoria Police and Road Safe Eastern Metro.
Warrandyte High School year 10 students Danielle Robertson, Jacinta Abandowitz-Lee and Jennifer Quinn thought the forum was a great idea.
"No one listens to learner drivers because they think they don't have enough experience," Jennifer said.
They agreed the hardest thing about being a learner driver was the road rage they experienced from other drivers.
"People get really impatient because we are not confident," Danielle said.
Jacinta said young drivers were already nervous and people being impatient with them made it harder. "And parents are not always patient with us."
There will be plenty of giveaways at the forum, including fuel vouchers and movie tickets.
The Young Driver Forum will be held at the Karralyka Centre, Mines Road, Ringwood, from 9.15am-noon on Thursday, June 14. Interested participants can register by emailing training@metec.com.au.