Stay Upright ACT manager Simon McAdie instructs senior instructor Andrew Brawata at the Driver Trainer Centre, Majura. Photo: Matt Bedford
The head of the only ACT government-accredited motorcycle training company has backed calls for learner drivers to spend time on a motorbike to improve road-safety awareness.
Days after the year’s second ACT motorcyclist death, Stay Upright ACT and region manager Simon McAdie said he agreed in principle with a suggestion by Senator Cory Bernardi, although more public discussion would be needed before a move to make it mandatory.
“Anyway we are helping people become more motorcycle-aware – and not just motorcycles, but you get a whole experience of the road thing, including pedestrians – is a good idea,” Mr McAdie said.
Awareness initiative: A proposal to get people learning to drive cars to also ride motorcycles has some support.
Senator Bernardi said he would write this week to all premiers and chief ministers to promote a short mandatory session of motorcycle riding, but the ACT government rejected the suggestion on Friday.
Attorney-General Simon Corbell said the government accepted the recommendation of a recent assembly inquiry to introduce a new competency focused on vulnerable road users, including motorcyclists, in the practical assessment for provisional licence candidates.
“The inquiry did not make any recommendation about mandating practical motorcycle experience in order for a person to obtain a car driver licence and the ACT government has no plans to do this,” Mr Corbell said.
Senator Bernardi joined an odd mix of politicians – including Fraser MP Andrew Leigh and Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm – ito form the Friends of Motorcycling parliamentary group this week.
The group will advocate the benefits of bikes, including their ability to be an answer to some congestion problems.
The conservative Liberal said as learner drivers in his home state of South Australia have to do 75 supervised hours before applying for a provisional licence, it made sense for “half a day” to be spent on a motorbike.
“Getting on a bike, in a secure compound, going through some witches hats – it’s amazing how challenging it is for people, and it’s amazing how vulnerable you feel even with no traffic around,” he said.
The ACT has no requirement for learner drivers to accumulate supervised driver hours.
Mr McAdie said most 16 and 17 year olds could complete a session riding a motorbike.
An NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust-commissioned report released this year analysed coronial data over a 10-year period and found motorbike riders were 20 times more likely to die on Canberra roads than car occupants.
The figures showed 35 motorcyclists died between 2001 and 2010. Four have died in motorcycle accidents in the last two years.
Canberra has the lowest rate of motorcycle fatalities of all states and territories.
Motorcycle advocates differ on Bernardi"s driver test idea
