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Purpose:

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To bring about a change to driver licencing laws in each Australian State and Territory

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  •  To have mandatory driver testing annually from the age of 75 years. A          simulator driver test with an emergency event in the test to show reaction and response time. To show that the elderly driver can get their foot from the accelerator to the brakes. 

  • Eyesight test performed by an optometrist. 

  • A test for dementia in the fit to drive certificate. 

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  • Facebook - White Circle
Background

On the 24th October 2016, our 22 year old son Dann Robert Jenkins was killed by an elderly driver who pulled out in from of Dann's motorcycle. His only excuse "I didn't see him". The driver and passenger of the car immediately behind the elderly driver saw Dann coming, but had no way of stopping the elderly driver from turning straight in front of Dann.

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This man who shouldn't be behind the wheel of a vehicle, Edwin Patrick Jessop, aged 87 at the time of the accident received a 9 nine month suspended sentence for killing our son. 

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Documents submitted in court referred to his remorse and sorrow for our loss, but, as Mr Jessop left the court, his lawyer was submitting an appeal against the sentence - he wants his licence back so he can drive himself to the doctor.

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He killed our son on his way home from the local shop after getting the milk and the paper. His life goes on, with his family - ours is destroyed.

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If my 22 year old son Dann had killed an 87 year old driver, the likelihood is he would have spent the next 5 to 10 years in jail. Is age now an excuse for murder?

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My hope is to have changes to drivers licencing laws passed in each State and Territory to stop anyone else from having to endure the same pain my family and Dann's friends have had to go through, and still do on a daily basis.

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These changes to the licencing laws are becoming more important as our population is aging, people are living longer and the number of elderly drivers on our roads is forever increasing.

 

The changes are:

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  • To have mandatory driver testing annually from the age of 75 years. A simulator driver test with an emergency event in the test to show reaction and response time. To show that the elderly driver can get their foot from the accelerator to the brakes

  • Eyesight test performed by an optometrist

  • A test for dementia in the fit to drive certificate

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Currently medical and eyesight tests are performed by doctors, these tests are simplistic and usually signed off by a family doctor who has built a relationship with his patients. If a doctor refuses a 'pass' to a patient, there is nothing to stop them 'doctor shopping' to find one that will pass their medical.

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The eyesight test should be performed by an optometrist, and results forwarded directly to the relevant state licencing authority. The results from these tests will be accurate, effective and reliable, unlike current so-called medical certificates issued by doctors.

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The installation of a driver testing simulator at licencing facilities, the relatively small cost outlay to install and maintain these would be far offset by the cost saving in emergency care and reduction in the road toll. These can be regularly upgraded and different scenarios programmed into them so drivers cannot 'learn' where the emergency will be. These can also be used for training students and other drivers new to the road, giving them an idea and training on what to expect when they take a practical driving test.

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A fit to drive certificate to be issued by a relevant state transport department approved doctor (not the drivers family doctor)  - this certificate to include a dementia test and to be in-line with the testing recommendations in "Assessing Fitness to Drive 2016 (as amended up to August 2017)" issued by Austroads. Free PDF copy available here.

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An information kit "Assessing Fitness to Drive" is also available from the Austroads website. 

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Petitions

Petitions

Online electronic petitions like those found on change.org or ipetitions.com are not valid for submission to Australian Parliaments and signatures on these petitions cannot be used to supplement either paper or online petitions to any Australian Government

 

However popular opinion and online petitions do have an effect when enough people sign and even though they cannot be used in submission to government they may still affect a change in policy.

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As such, a petition is available for signing on Change.Org as well as the petitions listed below

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Few State governments have online petition facilities and the Federal government will not act on petitions which are required to have an effect at a state level so the above petition is a good way to get the word out and promote change.

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If you're interested in helping out with a State level petition, either online or paper, email us at garyandsuejenkins@gmail.com 

and we'll respond with more information.

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Queensland Parliament

Sign the Petition if you live in Queensland

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Currently paper only, click the image above to contact us for locations of petitions, or to host a paper petition.

Parliament of New South Wales

Sign the petition if you live in New South Wales

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Paper only - click the image above to contact us for locations of petitions, or to host a paper petition.

Other States and Territories

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Currently petitions are not available to be signed in any states or territories outside QLD or NSW.

 

Please sign the Change.Org petition if you're a resident in another state or territory

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