Crime Prevention Officer Leading Senior Constable Glenn Gibson said police regularly saw P-plate drivers taking risks on local roads.
With their actions placing not just them but other road users at risk of serious injury, Sen Constable Gibson said the message should be clear.
“We are urging all young drivers to consider the consequences of bad decisions every time they get behind the wheel,” he said.
“There have been a worrying couple of incidents that have occurred on our roads in the last few weeks, highlighted by the incident in Shepparton on Friday involving a P-plate driver allegedly drink driving and also a fatal collision in Cobram.
“Looking at those incidents we think it's a wake-up call for all young drivers that these sort of things are still happening.”
Sen Constable Gibson reminded young drivers that the consequences of taking risks were not only costly for them but could also affect their future.
“The point to remember with risk taking is that it's not just about the loss of licence, large fines or losing your vehicle for impound, there is also a very real risk of road trauma,” he said.
“We know cars are very important for independence but they're not there for entertainment.”
Sen Constable Gibson said this was a topic targeted at the annual Cool Head Young Driver Program, with peer pressure a subject high on the agenda.
While local police continue to work on spreading the message to our youth, he urged parents to also think about the actions of their children.
He hoped a few of the recent road incidents would encourage parents to talk to their children about their driving behaviour and discuss the flow-on effects from serious road accidents.
“People often think it's bad kids involved, however often they're just kids from good families with good backgrounds making stupid decisions.
“There also could be peer pressure with the other occupants of the vehicle egging them on to make bad choices.
“It's something we talk about at Cool Heads — before getting in the car think about whether it is appropriate or safe; once you're in the car it can be hard to get out.”
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