Push for Junior Off-Road Supervised Motorcycle LicensingÂ
The Australian Motorcycle Trail Riders Association (AMTRA) in conjunction with the Victorian Motorcycle Council has given its support to the Australian Country Alliance Party’s (ACAP) call for Junior Off-Road Motorcycle Licensing.
AMTRA’s club based junior licensing policy shares common ground with ACAP’s more expansive proposal. It calls for adolescents from 14-years-of-age to be able to ride wherever recreational registered motorcycles are allowed when under the supervision of at least two fully licensed riders that are members of an off-road riding club.
The policy calls for licensed junior riders to pass an off-road riding competency test delivered by an authorised rider training organisation (such as Honda Australia Rider Training), to ride LAMS appropriate off-road motorcycles and to wear appropriate protective riding gear including goggles, gloves, boots and body armour. Riding would be in groups with at least one lead and one guard supervising rider.
The club based junior licensing system could be introduced thru existing well established off-road motorcycle clubs like AMTRA and the Otway Trail Riders, which would provide the required accountability and responsibility for the proposal.
Junior riders would gain valuable riding experience in supervised and controlled conditions thereby helping them to develop into future safe road users. AMTRA calls on the Government and all parties to endorse Junior Off-Road Licensing as a road safety and family friendly initiative.
