QLD drivers could face licence ‘refresher’

QUEENSLANDERS may soon be required to undertake an online ‘refresher course’ when renewing their licence, the state’s transport minister, Mark Bailey, has said according to an ABC report.

The proposed introduction of the refresher course comes as one of a range of suggested changes, following the Road Safety Roundtable held earlier this year, in response to Queensland’s high road toll in 2022.

There was a total of 297 deaths on Queensland roads last year, which is the state’s worst year for road fatalities in 13 years.

The refresher course aims to educate drivers before they successfully renew their licence, bringing them up to date with road rules that may have changed across the maximum five-year period a Queensland licence remains valid for.

“You go online, you do a course that’s easily accessible, and it basically brings you up to date on the road rule changes since you got your last licence,” said Mr Bailey.

“In any five-year period, there’s always a lot of different changes that come in to play.”

Alongside the education approach, Mr Bailey said the government is also seeking feedback on immediate licence suspension for high-range speeding offences.

The proposed high-range speeding rule change would mean a driver caught travelling more than 40km/h over the speed limit would have their licence suspended on the spot.

“If you get caught and pulled over at that kind of speed then it’s kind of ‘hand over the keys, thanks very much,’ and the car stays where it is, and an immediate suspension,” he said.

“Getting that kind of a driver off the road as quickly as possible I think it would be a positive measure.”

Of the 297 deaths last year, 74 were motorcycle riders prompting a government response.

"Only five per cent of road users are motorcycle riders but they made up 25 per cent of deaths last year,” said Mr Bailey.

The Queensland government launched its Ride to Zero motorcycle initiative earlier this month, aimed at mentoring motorcyclists and providing resources to improve rider safety.

“We want to see a lot more mentoring of new riders for instance, so that the skill level increases as quickly as possible and the culture of safety around motorcycle riding improves as well,” he added.