GREEN P-plate drivers Blake Fiene and Joseph Walsh believe they are being victimised due to new laws which prohibit them from using their mobile phones for any function while driving.
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They said the new law has been a stab in the back after they previously had been allowed to use their phones for GPS, bluetooth and to make or receive calls if was positioned in a cradle.
Blake Fiene who has had his green P-plates for one year and two months said he bought an expensive head unit (stereo) specifically so he could use his phone to play music in his car.
“All I have to do as I’m walking up to my car is turn on bluetooth on my phone, put it straight back in my pocket and it automatically connects to my head unit,” Mr Fiene said.
Mr Walsh said there are a lot of grey areas when it comes to enforcing the law.
“What happens if you have a passenger who is using bluetooth on the head unit and you’re not touching anything, or if they are holding the phone and using GPS?,” he said.
Mr Walsh and Mr Fiene said instead of implementing restrictions for P-plate drivers, more education should be put in place such as a one day defensive driving course.
Keen to Drive driving instructor Michael Treneman said he believes the new law is a ‘bit harsh’.
Mr Treneman said that while he thinks mobile use should be prohibited for learner drivers and those on their red P-plates, green P-platers should be allowed to access their phone for some functions.
The GPS function, Mr Treneman is handy for many green P-platers who use maps to travel for their work, as it works hands free to give voice commands as to where to go.
He believes that if a green P-plater is using their mobile properly in a cradle so that it is totally hands free then they should be allowed to continue to use it.
Meanwhile some people have voiced their reaction to the new law on social media.
“We older drivers survived with no phone or music and only a road atlas to find a place,” one woman said.
For more visit www.roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au