NSW Learner Driver Logbooks To Be Scrapped

Despite a University of Adelaide study that showed South Australian learner drivers aren't getting enough hours behind the wheel, their counterparts in New South Wales will soon get even less driving time.

In what has been called a push for the youth vote, and described by Roads Minister David Borger as a "fairness issue," the NSW State Government is moving to abolish the current 120 hour logbook for learner drivers.

"We want to take account of the needs of learner drivers who cannot afford driving lessons and those with little or no family support to get to 120 hours," a spokesperson for Mr Borger told Fairfax.

The current 120 hour requirement was brought into law in 2007 by former NSW Premier Morris Iemma, increasing the minimum hours from the previous 50. It is unknown if the government will return to the earlier requirement.

Talk of the move, which has yet to be announced, follows a call from the NSW Opposition to have a compulsory one-day driving course established for learners, paid for by the government and - it is hoped - contributions from insurance companies and associated organisations.

In NSW, there are around 250,000 learner drivers, 140,000 P1 drivers and another 250,000 P2 drivers.