South Australia wants to make drivers of performance cars get a special licence

South Australian drivers may soon need to get a special driver’s licence if they want to drive high-performance cars.

This week the State Government revealed it is proposing to introduce new reforms to the licensing system, which include changes for those who want to drive high-powered sports cars.

Under the possible new laws, drivers would be required to comply with specific training and other requirements – similar to those already applied to motorcycle and truck licences in most jurisdictions – and be banned from holding a licence altogether if accused of killing a person until their case is resolved.

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Other ideas the South Australian Government is looking at include banning the disabling of traction control in high-performance vehicles.

The move comes after the tragic death of a teenage girl in Adelaide’s south-west in 2019.

The family of 15-year-old Sophia Naismith, who died after being hit by a Lamborghini while on a footpath, have pushed for the safety reform.

According to the ABC, the driver of the Lamborghini, Alexander Campbell, pleaded guilty to driving without due care, but was recently acquitted of the more serious offence of death by dangerous driving.

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“Every South Australian following the tragic loss of Sophia Naismith cannot help but admire the courage shown by her parents and family,” said SA Premier Peter Malinauskas.

“Work will now commence to bring these reforms to fruition.

“I have directed relevant government agencies to immediately commence drafting legislation and I hope that the Parliament will support these important reforms.”

The State Government will also work with South Australia Police and the Attorney-General’s office on proposed changes to the Criminal Law Consolidation Act relating to a death occurring because of unacceptable driver behaviour.

The legislation is slated to go before Parliament before the end of this year.

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Earlier this year, a study of learner drivers and their habits raised concerns about how the next generation of motorists is faring on Australian roads.

Conducted by Budget Direct, 1000 Australians who currently hold a driving licence were surveyed about their time as learner drivers, exposing shortcomings in the system which allows them to progress.

Even though learners are a higher risk on the roads due to their lack of experience, just 5.5 per cent reported being in a traffic incident on their Ls, with 3.7 saying they were at fault while 1.8 per cent were not.

Males were far more likely to be in a crash and at fault compared to their female counterparts though, with over double reporting they were the cause of an incident.

Across Australia licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction, though so far no other state or territory has special requirements for drivers of high-performance vehicles.