When we first mentioned to friends our intention to drive around southern Italy, they looked at us as though we were off to Baghdad for a holiday.
“But Italian drivers are lunatics!” they wailed. “You’ll never get back alive!”
The reality is quite different. In Italy, the driver, who has been properly trained as a teenager, is allowed to think and act in large part according to his or her own judgement and the prevailing conditions. It is the individual who is ultimately responsible for road safety.
This approach is reflected in the relatively benign attitude taken by the police to enforcement.
In Australia, it’s not up to individual drivers to decide how they drive. The rules do that, and everybody must follow them. If we all follow the rules, our governments argue, we will be safe. Crashes happen when we break the rules.
In practice, this takes decision making responsibility away from the individual, so Australians tend to be lazy, inattentive drivers. We are also very aggressive, in a much more menacing way than drivers in other countries.
In more than 3000 km of driving through southern Italy, I saw a lot of rule breaking. But I also saw no road rage, and had no-one take me by surprise or put me at risk by doing something stupid.
Unfortunately, we see examples of this behaviour every time we get behind the wheel in this country. Italians are great drivers. Australians are hopeless.
What do you think?
No related posts.
Lazy and inattentive? Maybe.
In Italy the chaos of driving is actually more ordered than it first appears. Italians drive and are always prepared for the unexpected.
In Australia we mix people who drive and adhere to the laws with those who have no idea about the laws or have little regard for them.
When you mix the two together, that’s when you get problems.
Look at Germany – sensible road rules which people stick to.
In Italy if someone does something stupid you simply move past them as quickly as possible and leave them to their own devices – even if it means breaking the law.
I think if Australians learnt how to park and stopped leaving huge gaps between cars whilst parking everyone will be happy. I have driven in many, many countries and it amazes me that for a country like Australia where RULES mean everything, parking properly is such a big problem.
NSW drivers are being brainwashed into believing that if they don’t speed, don’t drink drive, wear their seat belets and are not fatigued (ie the ‘fatal four’) then everything will be OK. The harsh reality is that every driver needs to CONCENTRATE and take responsibility for their own safety and that of other road users. The RTA and other road authorities are not helping because they are reducing speed limits to suit the lowest common denominator drivers, thus reducing the need or motivation for all drivers to read the road and drive according to conditions. If you drive overseas, especially in the UK and Europe, you will not see a multiplicity of speed limits and speed warning signs because drivers are expected to work it out for themselves. By and large, they do a good job of it.
I can’t agree more with the comments above. I have only just returned from Italy, driving for five weeks in Rome and around the country. Initially I thought the driving practices were chaotic but in fact there is a rythm and calmness to driving that I do not often see in Sydney. And, because I was out of my comfort zone, I had to concentrate on what I and others were doing – no problems at all.
Alan is exactly right. Australia compared to most other countries is over regulated with regards to speed signs. I drive a few km’s to work each day and have about 35 speed limit changes along the way. These include those electronic ones that change multiple times per day. It seems that drivers in Australia are forced to consider an excessive level of changing speed limits which seems to occur to the detriment of other road rules. Get one speed limit change wrong and there’s a camera there waiting to fine you because this is where the Government focus is. I don’t believe that speed on it’s own is the main factor in accidents, it’s a combination of factors such as concentration, consideration and multitasking as well as speed that is the culprit however our lawmakers seem to be focused on speed to the detriment of these other factors and this contributes to Australia’s poor driving standard and aggressive behavior behind the wheel.
It is my experience when in Rome you get a sense of chaos which it is, but it is courteous chaos. Cross the road at your own peril away from a crossing, use a crossing make eye contact and most drivers will stop. On dual carriage roads they stay in the slow lane even at 150kmh (on an autostrada) only changing lanes to overtake, there is no road rage, slow drivers in the fast lane or trucks (which operate at a lower speed than here) side by side holding everyone up. The Italians may seem crazy but they are not driving large vehicles like we do they have smaller cars which don’t take as long to overtake nor do they speed up like some Australians do when being passed. Overall I think Australians are rude inconsiderate drivers who flout laws, do not care for other road users and are basically uneducated in courtesy on the road, where Italians drive fast on the open road and give way to quicker vehicles, let other motorists cut in at intersections when merging and generally show more courtesy to other motorists. My two weeks driving in Italy was less stressful than one day in Australia, I have also driven in Indonesia and whilst there appears to be chaos in those places it is still better than NSW.
I can’t speak about Italy as I haven’t been there, but I can certainly vouch for the rude, aggressive driving that occurs here. I am fed up with being overtaken by P-plate hoons doing 90+ in a 50 or 60 zone, fed up with drivers who change lanes without indicating and really fed up with drivers who think they can change lanes simply because they do indicate. Perhaps parents are not the best ones to teach thier offspring to drive – they simply pass on their bad habits & attitudes to the learners (this was brought home to me after my daughter went to a driving school and constantly told me what I was doing wrong!) It’s about time we stopped concentrating solely on “speed kills” advertising and talk about stupidity, road rage, lack of concentration, running through red lights, among other things. It’s the drivers who make “black spots”, not the roads or intersections. I have even been roadraged at for stopping at a red light!
Speed Kills is the propaganda that misleads and takes the responsibility away from drivers, but makes the Government look like they are doing something. Why is that in 1997, despite all the experts and doomsayers, when the USA raised its national speed limit, the Road Toll in the USA declined? The US spends 200 Million less man hours on the road as a consequence of a 16kmh increase in it’s national limit.
But to the major point… if I drive at below the speed limit, with my seat belt on, will I be safe? NO… Not while-ever Australians are not permitted to take responsibility for their own actions. Ask your local member this question: Why, with ever-decreasing Speed Limits, better vehicles, better driver education and more Speed Camera’s, why is our road toll not going down?
I wholeheartedly agree but I think the comment should extend to the whole of Europe. I have just spent 3 months in Europe driving cars and riding motorcycles. I found drivers to be predictable, polite and willing to share the road. Drivers typically moved aside to allow motorcycles to lane split. I wonder if this behavior is influenced by the Europeans sensible approach to speed limits? 130 Km/h on freeways that are often not as good as Australian roads and even that is not enforced. Changing lanes was always done with great care and drivers universally moved back quickly to the curbside lane. I never saw cars or trucks hogging the passing lane. I feel sad to have to adapt to Australian conditions again.
I am an Italian..living in Australia since 2001. I cannot believe what I have read…seriously??
No really, Italians are awful drivers, at the wheel they are aggressive, arrogant and sexist (I am a woman, and I was yelled at ‘why don’t you stay in the kitchen!’ more than once).
With a scary regularity, on week-ends and public holidays, young people loose their life because they do not observe any speed limit, drink driving is normal and the police…where’s the police??
I much prefer driving here in Australia. As far as driving to the South of Italy, very brave, I have never had the pleasure, but I touch wood that that time will never come.
I agree with Susan’s comment though, P-Platers in Oz could be improved.
The reality of being Italian is that it is a way of life, a way of thinking and a way of driving. I was born in Italy, was bought up in an Italian family, in the Italian way, including being taught to drive by an Italian father. (from the age of six)Took me trackside at Monza to see speed on banked tracks. He instilled in me a sense of awareness in my driving that I did not find in my friends who were instructed by the driving school. My Italian upbringing instilled sensible drinking of wine at meal-time, followed generally by a rest, ‘siesta’ Never having to drink to loose my inhibitions and then drive for bravado in an inebriated state.
Italy has a more advanced driver training regime than Australia, it teaches active safety, awareness of dangerous driving practices, including wet weather driving. Not only by driving schools, but by the extended family, who always teach to ‘drive to stay alive’. Italians love life too much to die, driving.
Because of traffic densities driving in Italy is more competitive and requires greater awareness. In crowded cities the speeds are lower. High speeds are usually on great ‘autostradas’that are a pleasure to drive on. Still Italy has its share of accidents too. Severe weather conditions, snow, dense fog. Speed/drug related to youth on the whole. Still for a country of 75 million with a greater traffic density, they do have less accidents/deaths than in Australia.
Definitely in the Italian culture of the love of life, fast cars, slow-food espresso and driving. Each green light in Rome is a ‘jump-start’ for 100′s of Valentino Rossi’s in their hot 50cc. mopeds.
A driving holiday through Italy is definitely a refreshing experience. Yes I would agree with the writer that teenage driving instruction for individual survival is prefearble to a set of rules. The Italian driver is aware of you, particularly if you are a foreigner. Still a drive on an Italian Autostrada is a scenic way to see and enjoy Italy and share the road with passionate drivers.
Quoting Kransney “predictable” I think is a pretty accurate description of European drivers, even though they bend the rules here and there as a result it keeps the traffic moving and are clear about their intension. For example even with the occasional double parking, they are clear about it and will ensure that people can still keep moving by. If they seem like they are about to change lanes they will, where as in Australia, sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t, sometimes they use signals (blinkers) sometimes they don’t. A lot of times it’s like WTF are you trying to do? If you are a little clearer I can understand and let you do your manoeuvre. I find that the Italians are far more considerate to other drivers, where as in Australia if you do a mistake watch out! Australians need to be more considerate to other drivers.
Also what is it with buses and automatic “blinkers” I have not idea if they are leaving the bus lanes or not.. Sometimes they do.. Understandable they have right of way, so I give way(I do encourage public transport), other times they don’t (am I suppose to telepathically know if there signals are for changing lanes or leaving the stop? Or am I missing/misunderstanding something here?). I constantly experience this in Sydney CBD.
I tend to agree with Francios – when you get a mixture of road “rules” there is an increased risk of accidents. For example, I am more confident driving in peak hour in Sydney when everyone drives by the same “rules” then, say, when school is out and the only rules are Rafferty’s. I have driven in Europe and also extensively throughout all of Australia. Every place has its own driving style. Sydney drivers tend to be aggressive, need to merge in front – never behind, and if they use the indicator it is to tell you what they have done, not what they are going to do. But they will allow traffic to merge. Brisbane drivers tend to be more courteous, but merging is not conceded easily (still, not as bad as Melbourne).
My experience of Italian drivers is not one of courtesy, nor of indicating, nor of recognising road lanes at all. Yes, they do pull over to allow faster traffic through if it suits them. There appears to be no consideration for any other driver – perhaps a bit like Sydney after all! The only way to survive the drive is to fit in. As one brought up to follow the road rules and show courtesy to other drivers, I found driving “Italian style” very stressful, and could not believe how much more relaxing it was driving in Germany – even doing 140kmph in a people mover.
My name says it all, Russo is a great Italian name, so you may feel I’m biased BUT I was born in Australia in 1956 and have been to Italy 3 times now since 2000. I have driven in Italy extensively, from the border of France to Sicily and I have found that the Italian driver is a very compentent person behind the wheel, commited to driving a car with purpose and not as we do in Australia as something to do, to get from A to B.
In Italy the drivers have pride in their driving ability, and road rules, watch out if your a slow driver in the fast lane, they will monster you out of the way, the autostrada usually has 3 lanes, one for all types of drivers and speeds.
It doesn’t change on the smaller roads where you can be assured that their ability continues to impress the visitor, they drive a car as it’s a craft to always do at their very best.
Here in Australia the authorities have smacked the driver for anything outside their interpretation of driving a car/bike.
In Australia, it’s fine them first then take their licence away.
There’s a multiplicity of factors influencing the poor driving of many Australians.
This is the land of long distance, yet we have speed limits that, if adhered to, mean that on a 1400 km trip from Sydney to Adelaide via, say the Hay Plains where you can see 25 km ahead, you cannot drive above 100 kmh and really you will be pushed to average 85 -90 kmh over the whole distance. It’s too slow. A better speed limit would be say 130 to 140 kmh on dual highways and between 110 and 120 on other roads. Leave it to the driver to make a judgement.
Too many drivers don’t know the size of their cars. This has the effect that a whole lane on a busy road will be held up because one driver is not able to judge that the car he or she is driving will actually fit between the obstacles in front. People who cannot judge space in front of them accurately should not be licensed.
There are many other things – for instance, you often find a drivers who suddenly realise they’re say, in the lane to turn right and they don’t want to be. Instead of going with their mistake and correcting it when they can, they put on a left indicator and hold up all the cars behind them wanting to turn right, causing more frustration and major delays.
One final point. In my view, the law should insist that when the ignition is on, the mobile phone is turned off. Either driving a ton and a half vehicle at several metres per second takes concentration or it doesn’t…. if it does, why do we allow this nonsense – whether hand-held or hands free makes not a jot of difference. (Is your insurance valid if you prang a car while you’re on the ‘phone?)
Thanks for reading this harangue.
Geoff – North Sydney
This is a nonsense. You need look no further than the recent news report that the wife of the Italian president was run down on a pedestrian crossing outside the palace. Apparently the woman who ran her down apologised and said she just didn’t see her or her bodyguard. Yes, the Italians are a lot more tolerant of abherant driver behaviour, they have to be. But a quick read of the weekends list of Italian road deaths published in Mondays paper will quickly dispel any myths of being safe on the road in Italy.
I can’t attest to how safe it is to drive in Italy. I can tell that walking around various parts of Italy made me incredibly nervous.
I stood at a ‘zebra crossing’ wondering why none of the traffic was stopping – and then watched (stunned, really) as a local just strode out into the traffic, which either stopped or swerved around. Just because you’re on the crossing, doesn’t mean that all lanes of traffic will stop!
Apparently small bikes are also considered pedestrian traffic, since they use the zebra crossings and sidewalks if they think they can get somewhere faster.
It takes a bit of getting used to!
Completely agree with the article. I’ve driven many times in Italy, all over the country, and have always found it a delight. I don’t recall a single concerning incident. For sure, there don’t seem to be many road rules – at least, rules which everyone obeys – but the drivers seem to know what they’re doing. I think they have a greater enthusiasm for driving and that shows up in better ‘average’ driving skills (than here). Yes, Italians drive quickly but there’s great lane discipline: slowies get over to the slow lane, quicks don’t tailgate, and a flash of the lights sees you let through. (Wish I could say that about the M4 etc!) And they generally respect other road users: lines of traffic blend painlessly, no macho and no aggro, and multi-lane roundabouts actually work. Love driving there.
Italians don’t even know where the front and back od their cars are – they park in small spaces but they use the front and backs of their cars and the ones adjacent to them to find where the closest cars are! I can hardly imagine this helps them to be good drivers on the road.
One should not generalise by saying that drivers from a particular country are better than those from another country, but on the whole I am convinced that Italians are better drivers in terms in driving skills, ability, courtesy, knowledge of road rules and perhaps more importantly they also have a better understanding of how the car ‘works’. I learnt to drive in Italy (my older brother taught me in his new small Citroen) and beside the driving skills I had to have a good knowledge of the various components that were under the bonnet of the car, and how to get the car going again if it broke down! Yes, there are road rules in Italy too about speed, parking etc but these are often not respected because it’s in the nature of Italians to snub rules imposed by the government and also because some of the rules are not very practical, eg parking.
The multiplicity of speed signs and different limits on our roads is a joke and likely to cause accidents rather than prevent them. As for the way many Australian drive that I have witnessed in the last 8-10 years it has deteriorated significantly, especially as some have already mentioned in regard to road rage, no use of indicators, turning left from the middle lane rather than the one close to the kerb, picking up speed when you try to overtake them, and many others , but the most dangerous one I have noted more frequently now is the driving through red lights both in the city and in the suburbs.
Finally, I come from the south of Italy and driving there is just as enjoyable as in the rest of Italy. Three years ago I travelled from Paris to the south of France, then all the way to the very southern tip of Italy to visit my mother, back to northern Italy and across to Switzerland then on to Germany and back to Paris to drop the car I had leased for the 61 days, and did not experience a single incident.
I have driven in Rome and whilst it is very busy and congested, I never found the conditions stressful or the drivers overly aggressive. This is in marked contrast to my home town of Sydney.
To Rob who thinks being run down on a pedestrian crossing is an incredible event in Italy, I have run the gauntlet of pedestrain crossings in Sydney for 30 plus years. I have been hit, had my foot run over too many times to mention and been intimidated by aggressive drivers either ignorant of crossing rules or unwilling to follow them. If it wasnt for the knowledge of just how bad Sydney drivers are and been prepared for the worst, I would surely have been injured quite badly or worse by now.
Having experienced driving conditions in many countries and in many Australian States, it is beyond question that Sydney traffic and its users are amongst the worst in the world, if not the worst. The lack of proper driver training, poor infrastructure compared to escalating population and lax rules by the RTA regarding English speaking/understanding abilities when the entire road system is solely in “English” leads to a situation where the roadways are clogged with those who simply dont understand and those who are too angry and impatient to care. The whole city is a traffic disaster. Even cities where the traffic congestion is much worse than here appear to function far better. I have not found this problem in other Australian States, only NSW.
Prospective drivers in NSW are allowed to gain their Learners permit in a foreign language without knowledge of a word of English. They are then able to train with a company catering exclusively for their birth nationality. At no point does the RTA require a fully licenced person in NSW to understand a word of the very language they are to be confronted with whilst driving on the road.
The powers that be who run Sydney roads should be ashamed of themselves. Not just Italy rates beyond this city in terms of road etiquette and responsibility, but also many places in the World that dont have anywhere close to the same opportunities as us have far outstripped us when it comes down to basic planning & driver ability. Sydney rates last on the roads and it is a disgrace.
I could not agree more, although it appears to be caotic, it is very much the opposite, you never get shouted or abused by other drivers, I have driven there on more accasssions that I can remember and I have always felt safe. The fact that youg people must attend a licenced driving school (obligatory) where they not only learn how to drive but also to understand how the car functions mechanically, before they are permitted to hold a drivers licence is in itself a major factor in their overall friver behaviour. We should consider introducing a similar system here to improve our young people to became better and more informed drivers.
I haven’t been to Italy but, as pointed out by other posters, I do think the Australian licensing system needs an urgent overhaul.
Anybody can get their red Ps if they know the course. They DO NOT simulate a real driving experience, primarily using back streets rather than main roads. Just because you know some road rules and can reverse park doesn’t mean you can drive.
My experience in Italy (and other parts of western Europe) is that drivers just get on with it. The highways are great, and those who want to toy with the potential for a major accident can travel at high speed in the correct lane, while those feeling less inclined can travel at a more sedate pace – it’s just fantastic the way nearly everyone gets in the appropriate lane though heaven forbid you travel slowly in a ‘fast’ lane, you will quite rightly get abuse thrown at you. If only Australian drivers would do he same thing. Also, having cycled in Italy, drivers seem to be far more tolerant. Expect to give way to cyclists, and they too will endeavour not to block a narrow winding road for too long. All in all it seems like pretty organised chaos – I agree with the comments re Australian drivers – so many rules, speed limits etc do make us lazy as we never have to think for ourselves.
I believe that the root cause of the problem with Australian drivers is that there is a total lack of respect for other drivers on our roads.
This respect includes the right to be on the road and respect for others lives. Full stop!
I drove in Italy last year and was very pleasantly surprised by the Italian drivers. On the fast motorways, slow drivers stayed in the inside lane and fast drivers passed with ease and no frustration arose, as it does on our freeways. Drivers accepted that pedestrians are entitled to cross the road and didn’t hassle them. The central roads in Rome at rush hour seemd chaotic but merging was easy and drivers allowed cars to move into lane and not close down the gap, as here in Sydney. Instead of driving being antagonistic and competitive, drivers showed respect for each other, I particularly noticed that consideration was given for age and wearing a habit or dog collar:)
I haven’t been to Italy but I have been to Saigon. Millions of motorcycles, they all get on not many arguments from what I saw.
Here in NSW we have so many changes to the speed limit you really don’t know what it is. No wonder there are drivers out there, some quite old, who take the lowest common denominator, 40 Km/h. That way you don’t get Constable Low IQ issuing a Traffic Infringement Notice or the Office of State Revenue trying to extort even more money out of you.
Recently I have started travelling regularly on the M7, M2 & F3. My pet hate now is the Tradey in the tray back utility, mirrors obscured, one brake light working sitting on 90 Km/h in the right-hand lane totally oblivious to the cars banked up behind him. Constable Plod is no where to be seen, or should I say not seen until you get to the Carl Scully (Why can’t he be charged with fraud?) inspired speed limit of 100 Km/h or is it 90 Km/h (when its raining) on the north side of the Hawkesbury River. He hides behind his rock with his powerful pursuit vehicle and well stocked utility belt at the ready. It’s a shame he doesn’t spend as much time enforcing the “Keep Left Unless Overtaking” rule or preventing car thefts or burglaries. We have the Police Assistance Line for that. As I said to one jodhpur wearing buffoon “If the Police Assistance Line is so good at preventing crime why don’t I report my speeding offences to it? That way we don’t need you to stand dangerously on the side of the road or hiding behind bushed on hot days.” His reply was less than polite!
Speaking of the Hawkesbury speed limit, last week in brilliant sunshine it was 90 Km/h, today it was raining heavily and it was 100 km/h, more RTA brilliance.
I only want to say that I drove in Germany were I made my drivers-license and in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, France and Spain. I must say the drivers in Italy and Spain seemed to drive too careless for my liking, but that was 40 years ago. The driver license in Germany is for life and not for money making like here. On my last visit in Germany ca12 years ago, a neighbour in his 80’s drove as with 180 km/h on the autobahn to Stuttgart, a distance of 120 km. I felt relaxed and safe because it seemed everybody stack to the traffic rules, not like here. They overtake safe but as fast as they can but go right away back in the slow line to give others the chance to drive past you some with up to 230km on the autobahn. They are not Michael Schumacher, but they are used to that speed and drive accordingly. As a country ca 30 times smaller than Australia and a population, four times more than we have here, the road toll is seemingly not much different percentage wise. I noticed that the mentality of the drivers here are worse than over there, but the politicians here are partly to blame as well for that, because they think we are not able to think for ourselves.
In Germany when you get your drivers license you do not have to go on a P-plate, because it does not make any sense anyway. If someone wants to drive faster, he/she will anyway, it does not matter if they are on a P-plate or not. When a P-plate driver sticks to the rules and drives with 90 km (red P-plate) in many cases the rest of us cannot overtake them because either the road is a one-lane road with unbroken double lines or it is not safe enough to do so. That means every other driver has to drive at the same speed as a P-plate driver and that is crazy. Last week I was in Queensland and there I saw a sign, which said on an 80 km/h Road “Trucks & Buses 70 km speed limit.” This is a winding and hilly road and no other vehicle, which could drive at 80 km/h, could overtake anyway, so why not make it70 km for all, or leave it at 80km? As they pointed out in our local paper on the Central Coast that on a certain stretch of road up here for a few kilometers there are 5 to 6 different speed-signs. It ranges from between 40 km up to 90 km and some are just 200 meters apart that in my mind has nothing to do with Road safety it makes it more unsafe because it confuses drivers.
The other think I find strange here is that a Motorbike L- driver can drive on the road without a license even if he/she fails the test a few times. Why do they need a license in the first place I ask?
I guess we have to a certain extent the same mentality here than the Americans. They can drive a car under the age of 18 years, they can vote with 18 years, they can die for their country with 18 years (in wars all over the world), but they are not allowed to drink alcohol before they are 21 years old, that is somehow not right either I think.
If you go to Europe, you can see children with their parents in restaurants having a sip of wine or beer. Here, the law does not permit us to do that because we surely would be fined or even arrested.
English is my second language and I am not as good at it as I would like to be, so please do feel free to edit my letter the way you think it should be written.
Thank you, Ludwig.
I agree with most of the other comments. The Italian good driver behavior is seen on their high speed autostradas where they always keep to the slower lane unless overtaking. Driver attention to the road, and driving to the conditions, seem to be the keys to safety – not low speed limits.
I can just imagine our roads without any rules. Absolute bedlam. A huge majority of the accidents that occur on our roads occur simply because the driver was not driving to the preavailing conditions or was not concentrating on what they were supposed to be doing. If these fools we have behind the wheel can’t obey the rules or drive safely what hope would they have without any rules to guide them?
Oh, I don’t know, it seems that there are a few people whom would disagree with the proposition. Do a Google Search on “italian driving tests”, there are a number of articles which address the issue of Italian Driving, in Italy, and their opinion isn’t that glowing. Now, it seems that they are concentrating on Rome, as opposed to anywhere else, so, invariably there will be a marked difference in attitudes between a city the size of Rome (2.7 Million people), and the Southern Italian towns and cities (e.g. Naples 1 Million people, Bari 325,000 people). Deaths per 100,000 persons in 2003 as per publication by Drive and Stay Alive Inc for Italy was 11.7 with Australia for the same year being 8.8. The rate for Australia in 2005 as per RTA Stats was 8.0. What is astonishing though, is that countries with higher populations and much higher driving speeds (e.g. Germany) manage to beat us (in the 2005 year 7.1 deaths per 100,000). Unfortunately these statistics only take into account deaths and not all accidents, so there is a problem there, in my opinion, that we can’t truly compare figures. If you’re interested in the figures for Australia though, the RTA website has reports for a number of years.
Germany is often sited as a comparable country which has lower deaths per capita, but higher driving speeds. Well, that’s not exactly true. In Germany the speed limit for urban areas is 50km/h, just like here. And the general road speed limit is 100km/h. On the Autobahn however, mostly it’s suggest speed limit is 130km/h, but this is only an advisory. Presently, in Germany between 0 to 20km/h only attracts a fine, and no points, being around $30, the $50, then $70. After that, you start attracting points. Doing 30+ over attracts disqualifications, starting at 1 month, up to 3 months. Points go to 12, you get a warning, 14 points, you are recommended to take driving classes, and at 18 points, your license is suspended. What is perhaps most influential is the actual cost of getting your license in Germany, it’s very high, being in the realm of $2 to $3,000 all up. Two factors in Germany which make it very interesting are the fact that Road Rage is greatly frowned upon, to the point where gestures will get you a $1,800 fine, and swearing at a Police Officer will get you a $2,500 fine, as will tailgating. Speed cameras in Germany are nearly everywhere, with only the UK having more (and they make a bundle for the Government in fines).
With such great distances involved in travel in Australia, the raising of speed limits in certain areas makes sense, especially where the roads are of comparable quality to the Autobahns of Germany. That being said, unfortunately there are far too few roads in Australia which stack up to this, and in my experience, far too few persons whom actually know how to merge correctly without causing a traffic jam. We seriously need to look at the driver training we provide, and if it costs $2,000 to $3,000 to get your license because you need to do proper training, well, perhaps it will keep some of Australia’s worst drivers off the road. But of course, then you need a decent public transportation system, and we all know, that’s far too difficult a thing to achieve, especially in the less affluent suburbs of our urban areas.
Oz standards must have slipped a lot since 1988 when I was last there and drove for almost eight weeks around NSW (including Sydney) and Victoria without any trouble. Oz drivers are no more aggressive than Brits, far less aggressive than the French, and from what Brit drivers say in motoring columns here, must be a lot better than Italians, who use both sides of the road and ignore pedestrian crossings. And for heaven’s sake – don’t have an accident in ANY continental European country and expec to have an insurance claim met!! They’re ignored.
I would totally agree that Italian drivers are better than Australian drivers however I would expand this to include many European drivers or is it actually the drivers?
The whole driving experience in Australia needs looking at, the road marking and sign system is a confusing mish mash of US and European styles with a few State and Local government variations thrown in. On top of this the inconsistence of road rules and speed limits makes it difficult for the driver to keep within the rules.
Local council traffic calming systems supposed to be designed for road safety in are some cases a hazard to road users with some unmaintained and almost invisible at night.
In Europe and the UK road signs and road marking are clear and consistent and drivers are taught to read the road ahead, road markings in particular are designed to warn of hazards ahead. Local authorities are compelled to keep to the national standard. Take a look at the UK Highway Code and you will see what I mean
Australia should have a National road and traffic system including driver training and traffic sign and road marking standards. Local authorities in particular should not be allowed to make up their own rules.
Children should be taught the road rules at primary school age when they start as a cyclist.
I am recently returned from a 7 week motoring tour of Europe, my fourth since 2000, including travel across Northern Italy for the third time, and was not surprised by this article because I have previously expressed the same sentiments. I observed that Italians do obey road rules, at least they no longer abuse the car horn, except for wedding processions. You do have to be especially careful of young people on Mopeds though, they own the road. On motor ways they seemed to me to be consistent in their use of the fast lane and in merging or overtaking, this is a far cry from what you experience at home where often the outside lane becomes congested with drivers doing exactly the speed limit, at a rediculos 110 kph in many places and those in a hurry using the slow lane to pass.
I would like to offer a handy tip learn’t early on in my O/S travel, that is to leave your “left” indicator on in the process of overtaking in the fast lane, this acted as notice to fast approaching traffic to take care, which they do.
The absence of road rage has been the most noticeable thing for me, both on and off the motorways in Europe.
The major problem with drivers in Australia is that they are taught to pass a rule book which has very little to do with driving and lots to do with revenue earning to keep a bloated RTA afloat.
If the RTA is claiming to be resposible for the “training” of drivers out there then they should be charged as an accomplace to manslaughter of many many people.
We alsom need to stop parents (who mainly don’t know any better) from training their kids to drive in the same manner that they do – brain off, start car, A to B, get out of car. Kids need to be taught survival skills and no one should be able to get a full license without a advanced driving course certificate under their belt.
Not likely to happen is it – our government needs the $$$!
Lets gut the RTA for a start, introduce real driving skills and for those that cannot get their lips around some thinking – take them off the roads. The other major problem with todays traffic is people who will not or cannot do at or near the speed limit in normal conditions. They are a menace!
People also have no idea what to do in an emergency or even that if they have been involved in an accident putting on the brakes after it is a good idea! Oh my…
Whilst I’m at it which idiot decided it was ok for push bikes to be able to be riden side by side on a road – looks like road kill waiting to happen on busy roads!
I could go on and on and…
I agree that Italians are better drivers with faster reflexes. In 2003 before driving in Italy we heard that Italian drivers were crazy, but we found the opposite is true. After driving 3000 kms from Rome north & down the east coast we witnessed very fast reaction times, especially in built-up Rome. With few signs & faint, weathered pedestrian crossings we still felt safe crossing major roads. Thousands of city-dwelling, motor-scooter riders are testament to road safety in Rome. If Australian drivers are willing to practise courtesy on the road, instead of aggressive tail-gaiting, road-rage we would not need all the regulatory laws forced upon Australians now. Public education campaigns during prime-time tv would be a good start.
I have been driving for 60 years legally and a bit before that. Driving was a pleasure, less traffic, cars were harder to drive (crash boxes) so people had to concentrate more and ther was respect for other road users. Trucks were slower and would pull to the side to let the faster traffic past, none of that now. Drivers had a respect for the other guy and would give way redily. How it’s changed. I used to fly commercially and we called it airmanship but you don’t see much roadmanship, it’s all me first,pity.
I remember too many years ago negotiating my kombi in peak hour traffic in Rome when ‘crunch’ – bingled a tiny bambino Fiat I hadn’t seen below. We stopped, checked each other’s damage, she said – “don’t worry about it …”
I loved it !
Yes I too could not agree more. I have driven all my life, for 43 years, worldwide and have a Gold Licence. Being resident back in the Illawarra the past 30 years I am absolutely horrified at what I encounter on the road and cannot believe what I see, often by P Platers, within metres of our local Police Station. There have been many deaths locally, many young males and some pedestrians, all through irresponsible driving.
I sat on a local Community Safety Team for several years, with Council and local Police, which involved bringing in the NRMA to help bring down a lot of crime related incidents, mainly car theft and break ins. This was all voluntary work but it has done a lot of good. Still, at the end of the day we need more visible policing, particularly on our roads – I could book people every day I go out, if I had the authority.
I have always said that Australia should bring in the same laws as USA/Canada – no drinking/driving until 21 years of age. Yes I agree that each individual needs to be more responsibly trained in all aspects of life and it should begin at High School, where young people spend most of their young years preparing for adulthood.
Could the NRMA not be instrumental in making changes in these directions so that Australian drivers become far more responsible than they are.
hmmm . . . all very interesting, however I don’t agree (and yes, I have driven in Italy, including Rome, and Australia). The statistics back me up and show that Australia has LESS fatalities from road accidents (per capita) than Italy. It works out at about 0.00759% of Australia’s population per year killed in road accidents compared to 0.00918% for Italy – and check out the news story from the link . . .
http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/24/1986539.htm
Drivers in Italy are as aggressive as any in Australia but are far more competent. Like us they have traffic jams, multi lane highways and many secondary roads similar to those in rural NSW, but whatever the conditions, being more skilled and better trained, they are quicker to adapt and respond to road conditions and they are far more conscious and considerate of other road users. Most significantly, speed limits are higher and the roads are policed sensibly. Revenue raising revenue isn’t an objective.
“It works out at about 0.00759% of Australia’s population per year killed in road accidents compared to 0.00918%”
True this might be the case – but that’ doesn’t tell the whole story. I am sure you will find that Italy has higher speed limits, less road rules and takes a much more relaxed view to things such as drink driving, speeding, use of seat belts and so forth.
It would also be interesting to know what the motorcycle fatality rate is like in Italy compared with Australia.