Studies may have shown that driver education programs have not reduced the road toll but this is probably more indicative that the training needs to be changed rather than throwing away the entire concept.

I can't believe that training will not improve drivers' skills and attitudes. There is not a single human activity where training does not improve peoples' abilities; be it sport, job training, education etc.

If there is a flaw with driver training it is that not enough time is spent. Skills such as emergency braking take months to developed to the point where they are instictive. A course of only one or two days, once every ten years or so, is not going to be sufficient.

There's an old and very true saying - "you can't put old heads on young shoulders" - and herein lies most of the problem. I've been driving since 1955, with very few accident, and no injury to myself or others. True I did some stupid things when I first started, but I woke up quickly that I was heading for trouble and was lucky not to have come to grief.

The young drivers today [male -mostly - and female] drive as if they were in a race, too fast, tailgating and cutting others off. Racing is for professionals, on proper tracks. Stunts are for professional expert stunt driveers, not over-confident, probably half-drunk idiots. Others, maybe the same ones! do stupid burn-outs at T intersections and then fishtail across the white line, and heaven help anyone coming the other way. I have dobbed one of them in, and will do so until he's taught a lesson before he kills someone.

Another thing is loud music. I have tested myself with this, and I found that I lost touch with reality, it was as though I really wasn't on the road, but watching a video, so I quickly turned it down. Also, you can't hear sirens or crossing bells, horns etc. Drivers have got to realise that they and their passengers are not indestructible, nor are others on the road. Imagine how it would feel to have to tell someone's family that they were dead or maimed for life because of your stupidity!! Because you couldn't resist that rush of blood, that adrenalin rush! Driving decisions and life decisions take DISCIPLINE and that's lacking in today's education and upbringing. It's tough finding this out the hard way - in an ambulance or a Casualty Ward. Come to think of it, a compulsory visit to one of these Wards would be a wake up call before that Licence were issued. One of my daughters did a Defensive Driving Course and it helped her a lot. I think extra training is part of the solution, together with a change of attitude and psychological tests.

Yes, psychological tests. Some drive like maniacs, not seeming to care about the consequences. This might weed out some, and impress on the others the seriousness of what driving means, before they find out the hard way, in that Casualty Ward. There should be ZERO alcohol tolerance for P platers, and no passengers with driving lessons on L plates. Passengers often egg drivers on, or otherwise distract them. This brings me to one last thing and it it vitally important. CONCENTRATE ON THE TRAFFIC AND ROAD CONDITIONS AROUND YOU. Don't be distracted by passengers, radio, changing CD's etc. CONCENTRATE AND DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THAT SAD TRIP TO CASUALTY.

I forgot to mention above, that there should be zero tolerance for drugs as well as booze for P platers.
Also mobile phones are a menace, dividing concentration and causing one-hand driving. Text messages have made them even more dangerous. There's another old saying "two hands for beginners" and that applies to cars as well as pushbikes.
Experience is a great teacher[ [maybe the best], so young drivers would do well to benefit from the experience of those who have been on the road for years. It could save them a lot of grief.
TV and movie commercials by car manufacturers are no help either, trying to show how fast their cars go, even around tight turns. Ordinary drivers, particularly inexperienced ones can get themselves in lot of trouble trying to be Michael Schumacher or Craig Lowndes. They might feel like they're "King of the Road" but there's "no such critter" and only fools who don't deserve a Licence, will try to be. Finally, if you'll "pardon my French" DON'T BE A SMART-ARSE !

Here, here Big Al! I am a mother of 2 young children and have seen first hand the ramifications of drink driving and as you put it, being a "smart arse". I believe that driver education would benefit everyone and hope that it becomes compulsory for P-platers.

The author must be even more disappointed than I that there has been so little response to this article. Have people given up on trying to save lives on the road?

So many of the casualties are or most precious resource - our young people - that we must keep on trying to save them from themselves, or maybe a stupid friend trying to show what a great driver, King of The Road he is! Magistrates and Judges are to blame in many ways by being too soft. When ARE they going to wake up?

I'm sorry if I seem to be monopolising this site, but one of the columnists in the Melbourne Herald/Sun [Kerry Cue] referred to some odd small items she had seen during 2004. One of them concerned a young man in England with a very powerful stereo [I think she said it was 1,000 watt] and the constant thump thump caused his lungs to collapse.

I can't verify it but maybe someone else has heard of it. That thump does seem to hit you in the chest.Incidentally, I very nearly got cleaned up by two idiots racing on the Melbourne Ring Road afew days ago. If they had hit me from behind you wouldn't be reading this post. I reckon they were doing at least 140k.

Have a SAFE and Happy 2005