A driver licence is important because cars are the most common form of transport for employment in New South Wales. In 2011, 74 per cent of people who travelled to work used a car. In regional and remote areas, where public transport is less accessible, this figure increases to 87 per cent. A driver licence improves mobility, and also improves access to health care, family, cultural and recreational activities and improves general wellbeing. It is also generally accepted as proof of identity for many services. Well-trained drivers make for safer roads, with fewer accidents and injuries. However, a driver licence is not a right. Competent drivers must meet Graduated Licensing Scheme requirements by passing multiple tests and completing supervised driving hours. This has contributed to improved road safety. In 2011, the New South Wales road fatality rate fell to 5.1 deaths per 100,000 of population, the lowest level since records began in 1908. However, meeting the Graduated Licensing Scheme requirements is difficult if your literacy is poor, you cannot access a vehicle or there is not a licensed driver to supervise you. Retaining a driver licence is also harder since the introduction of licence suspensions for fine default, Habitual Traffic Offender declarations and minimum disqualification periods. These factors contribute to the under-representation of licensed Aboriginal drivers in New South Wales. In 2011, Aboriginal people represented only 0.4 per cent of all driver licence holders, while being 1.9 per cent of the eligible driver population. Where there are few alternative transport options, the need for Aboriginal people to travel may result in them driving unlicensed. Being caught for repeated unlicensed driving offences can also lead to imprisonment. In 2011, 201 Aboriginal people were imprisoned for ‘driver licence’ offences. Over two decades ago the connection between a high prevalence of motor vehicle offences by Aboriginal people and their subsequent imprisonment was identified by the 1991 Inquiry into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report. The inquiry recommended that: *?factors relevant to motor vehicle offences that lead to imprisonment be identified *?in conjunction with Aboriginal communities, programs be designed to reduce the incidence of offending. We examined how well government responses to improve legal and safe driving among Aboriginal people have worked. Specifically: 1. Are barriers identified within the: a. licensing and vehicle registration process? b. fines enforcement process? c. justice system? 2. Are actions to prevent or address these barriers effective? Government responses to improve legal and safe driving among Aboriginal people, though effective for some, have had little overall impact. Aboriginal people continue to be overrepresented in traffic-related offending and imprisonments. Unlicensed Aboriginal drivers are also over-represented in road accident fatalities. The barriers within the licensing and vehicle registration process, the fines enforcement process and the justice system are generally well understood, but this knowledge has not yet led to an effective or efficient response. A solution cannot be driven by one agency alone yet there is no strategic coordination between agencies on this issue. While some driver licensing programs have had success at increasing the number of licensed Aboriginal drivers, they have not been effective overall at reducing imprisonments for ‘driver licence’ offences and injuries and fatalities from vehicle incidents. This is largely due to the lack of driver licensing program consistency and coverage. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting