By CHRISTIANE BARRO

Victorian P-Platers are petitioning for the removal of some of the restrictions currently enforced by VicRoads on driving high-powered vehicles while on probation.

Free The P petition creator Matthew Smoorenburg has been strongly petitioning to remove restrictions for P-platers in their last year of the P2 probation period.

In Victoria bans people on P2s from driving V8s and high-performance six-cylinder cars, as well as a limited number of turbo-charged and super-charged engines.

Mr Smoorenburg and his supporters want P-platers who demonstrate a clean driving record for the first three years to have the option of driving high-powered vehicles as a reward.

The group’s previous proposals have been rejected by VicRoads.

Mr Smoorenburg said he received rather “blunt feedback in regards to why the system’s in place without really taking into consideration some the valid points".

In their refusal, VicRoads vehicle and road use policy director Robyn Seymour wrote: “These restrictions are in place to protect young, inexperienced drivers and ultimately save lives.

“Young drivers are one of the highest risk groups on our roads and are over-represented in fatalities and crashes.”

Probationary drivers are able to apply for an exemption to the restrictions if they are self-employed, own a business, have an ABN number or are asked to use a prohibited vehicle by their employer.

Mr Smoorenburg said: “They don’t spotlight that they allow [some] drivers because it very clearly contradicts them … it's like you can’t have it for this reason, but we will give it to you for this reason.”

The Northern Territory, ACT, Western Australia and Tasmania have no vehicle restrictions for probationary drivers.

University of New South Wales transport and road safety research Associate Prof Teresa Senserrick said research on the issue of restricting high-powered vehicle use, although limited, suggested there was only a small potential for it to have much of an impact on serious crashes.

“Not many young people own these vehicles, and if someone chooses to speed and drive aggressively, they can do so in just about any vehicle,” she said.

A study outlined in the Austroads Research report examined the contributing factors to 256 novice crashes and found that risk-taking behaviour was not a major cause of collisions.

They discovered that 70 per cent of crashes were because young drivers made errors in which they failed to follow routine safe operating procedures.

It further suggested that very few people who are involved in this type of risk-taking behaviour own their own vehicle.

Young drivers in Victoria are often driven to buy their own car because the restriction prohibits them from driving their family vehicle.

According to the report this means many drivers are more likely to buy a smaller vehicle or an older model with less occupant protection, and this increases the risk for young drivers.

Ms Senserrick’s 2015 review of graduated licensing policies said studies showed only 2.5 per cent of crash injuries were related to high-performance vehicles (based on New Zealand and Australian data).

As a result, she said, the restrictions could at most reduce crash injuries by 2.5 per cent – and only if there was 100 per cent compliance and only if those drivers did not speed or drive aggressively in other vehicles.

Ms Senserrick said that this kind of scenario was unlikely.

In 2014, Victoria had its lowest percentage of young drivers – those aged between 18 and 25 – killed since 1987.

Ms Seymour said this reflected the success of the current prohibition against high-powered vehicles in effectively “making young drivers safer on our roads”.

Mr Smoorenburg disagreed with this claim, saying there were no statistics to suggest a link between the numbers of cylinders in a vehicle and the risk of a crash.

Mr Smoorenburg described the prohibition on high performance vehicles as simply a “messy system”.

VicRoads rules prohibit P-platers from driving cars manufactured before 2010 with eight cylinders or more. Mr Smoorenburg has urged VicRoads to re-evaluate at least this restriction.

Mr Smoorenburg said it was completely illogical because older cars with V8 engines were heavier vehicles and therefore much slower than newer six-cylinder cars, which are not prohibited.

Mr Smoorenburg said he used to own a 2010 V6 Holden Commodore that had more power and was a lot faster than many older V8 cars.

A signatory and supporter of the petition, Chels Mac, spent the majority of her L-plate period driving a V8 but, because of the power restriction on vehicles, she was unable to continue to do so and now drives a four-cylinder car.

“While my four-cylinder car still gets me from A to B, I’m lulled into a false sense of security, almost an auto-pilot type feel,” she said.

P-Platers of Australia Facebook page owner Anthony Ghantous said: “What I believe is dangerous is not the vehicle they drive, but the driver themselves.”

A vast number of Facebook pages have videos of young drivers behaving recklessly regardless of whether or not they drive a high-powered vehicle.

Facebook pages including Skid Vids for Tracey Grimslut, Skids for pigs, P Plater mods/skids and Illegal skid vidz have many videos of people performing skids and burnouts with all sorts of vehicle models.

With more than 1000 signatories to the Free the P petition, Mr Smoorenburg said it was "a bit rude just to push it off”.

Mr Smoorenburg has received extensive public support and is adamant he will continue to pursue this petition, despite recent setbacks.

“I owe it to the community of supporters to have another crack at it … one knockback isn’t going to stop me,” he said.