Australian State Could Introduce Special License for High-Powered Cars
Photo: ABC
Those thinking about getting behind the wheel of a high-performance car in the state of South Australia might soon need a special license to do so. According to ABC News, the government of South Australia is considering options to dramatically reform road safety in the aftermath of a controversial decision in a prominent court case.
In 2019, a 15-year-old girl on a sidewalk in Adelaide was struck and killed by an out-of-control Lamborghini that jumped the curb. Alexander Campbell, the driver of the white 2016 Lamborghini Huracán, pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated driving without due care but was acquitted last week of death by dangerous driving. The presiding judge said it couldn’t be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Campbell deliberately accelerated in a dangerous manner.
Public discontent and criticism of the law’s inability to deal with this incident and others have reached a breaking point in the wake of the decision. South Australia Premier, Peter Malinauskas, intended to introduce a slate of road safety reforms to the state’s parliament by the end of the year. Referring to the acquittal, Malinauskas said that “in most South Australians’ minds, justice hasn’t been done here.”
Of the potential reforms being discussed, the creation of a special license for high-powered vehicles is the most prominent proposal. This license would have stricter requirements than the standard license. Many Australian states already prohibit drivers with a provisional license from driving high-powered vehicles. High-powered cars are usually classified by exceeding a specific power-to-weight ratio, having turbocharged engines or engines with eight or more cylinders.
Other proposals include a ban on disabling traction control in high-powered vehicles and banning drivers accused of killing someone from holding a license until their case is decided. While stricter licensing requirements might seem like a burden to some, those choosing to drive a high-performance car that is more dangerous to operate should be held to a higher standard.
