MINISTER for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll has announced the expansion of the unsafe2safe trial right across regional Victoria, with expressions of interest now open until September 4, 2022. 

Up to 150 drivers, aged 18-25 years old, will take part in this phase of the program, which will provide a $5000 subsidy to replace their unsafe and older vehicle with a safer, newer vehicle.

The trial aims to replace up to 1000 unsafe vehicles that are more than 16 years old and have poor safety ratings with more modern vehicles that include safety features to help prevent crashes entirely – such features include Lane Keep Assist and Autonomous Emergency Braking systems.

Young drivers are at the greatest risk of being involved in a crash in their first few years of solo driving and young regional Victorians driving older cars are 15 times more likely to be killed in crashes, compared with the state average.

With many young Victorians expressing cost as a key barrier in accessing safer vehicles, this program will help many get behind a safer wheel before hitting the road.

The targeted program is part of Victoria’s Road Safety Action Plan under the Victorian Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, which focuses on groups that are over-represented in road trauma.

For more information on eligibility and to apply for the Unsafe2Safe trial, visit engage.vic.gov.au/unsafe2safe.