A LOCAL p-plater has lashed out at public ridicule of his fellow drivers.
Great Lakes College student Jacob Leung wrote to the Advocate saying he was 'officially over' the way p-platers are treated in the community.
The letter came after the Advocate reported on two incidents involving older drivers.
"(The article was) actually showing experienced drivers make mistakes as well," Jacob said.
The 17-year-old said he had lost count of the number of times he had been cut off and over taken for doing his 90km/h speed limit by drivers not on their p-plates.
"I get worried overtaking older drivers because I just think they are shaking their heads," Jacob said.
"You only hear about the negatives on p-platers. Did it ever occur to the community there are a large majority that are responsible?"
Jacob believes no one is a perfect driver but the majority of p-plate drivers are cautious, we are just not hearing about them.
"We cop enough from high cost insurance and passenger laws, we don't need to cop anymore off the community," Jacob said.
The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) has placed a number of restrictions on red p-plate drivers including not driving certain high performance cars, not accumulating more than three demerit points, having a blood alcohol level of zero and only carrying one passenger under 21 between 11pm and 5am.
Jacob acknowledges not all p-plate drivers are good drivers and some take more risks than older drivers because they are new to driving. But he still believes the community should cut them some slack and shine some light on the good p-platers.
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