From 1 December 2024, future and existing novice drivers on red P-plates in the state will be restricted to just one passenger in the first six months, among other new rules.
Western Australia has recently announced changes to P-plater laws following a surge in young road user fatalities in the state.
Under ‘Tom’s Law’ – set to be introduced from 1 December 2024 – novice drivers in the first six months of their licence will be restricted to carrying only one passenger in the car at all times. However, certain exemptions could apply.
According to the WA Government, red P-platers are only eligible for more than one passenger in their vehicle if the additional occupant(s) have held a full car licence for at least for years, the other passengers are immediate family members or if they are driving the car for work-related purposes.
“Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and we know our least experienced drivers are particularly vulnerable when they get behind the wheel, ” WA Premier, Roger Cook, said in a media statement.
“Limiting passengers for novice drivers in the first six months after they attain their licence is a practical, sensible and enforceable step that strikes the right balance to protect young drivers, their families and their friends,” Premier Cook added.
The new rule was named after Tom Saffioti, a 15-year-old teenager who was killed in 2021 when the car he was a passenger in crashed into a tree.
Saffioti was one of five passengers in the vehicle driven by an 18-year-old who lost control of the car.
Novice drivers found breaching Tom’s law could face a $200 fine and two demerit points.
This news comes as 17 to 19-year-old drivers account for the highest rate of fatalities and serious road injuries at 107 per 100,000 people, based on Western Australian statistics in 2023.
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