Lancet Jades
06-13-2004, 05:16 PM
Teenage driver banned for 43 years
By Linda Silmalis
June 13, 2004
A CAR-LOVING 19-year-old has been banned from driving until he is 62 years-old.
Jed Vincent, from the northern NSW community of Nimbin, has been told he cannot apply for a driver's licence for 43 years after being caught repeatedly driving unlicensed.
The NSW Opposition has taken up his case, with a call for teenagers with repeat driving convictions to receive penalties such as community service work.
Jed's mother, Nettie Vincent, claims her son's future has been destroyed, because he will now struggle to find employment in the bush.
Ms Vincent said her son was 16 when he was fined for driving an unregistered car without a licence.
He was picked up on seven further occasions for traffic offences before he was placed in a juvenile justice centre.
The sentence was appealed and three days after turning 19, he was placed in an adult jail to serve a six-month sentence. Jed was released from prison on Good Friday this year.
Ms Vincent said her son should have been forced to visit car accident victims in hospitals rather than lose his licence for almost his entire adult life.
"The police never pulled him aside and spoke to him - they just fined him each time they saw him driving," she said.
"My son would have been better off helping out in the community, visiting car accident victims in hospital, not going to jail and being told he can't get a licence until he is an old man.
"This is what makes young men into outlaws."
Ms Vincent said Jed had dreamed of becoming a Socceroo. Without a car, he could not even attend local games. She said he now wanted to be a mechanic.
Liberal MP Catherine Cusack said Jed was one of a large number of rural teenagers who were being punished for traffic offences. The result was that many would struggle to find jobs and, if they continued to drive, would end up in jail.
By Linda Silmalis
June 13, 2004
A CAR-LOVING 19-year-old has been banned from driving until he is 62 years-old.
Jed Vincent, from the northern NSW community of Nimbin, has been told he cannot apply for a driver's licence for 43 years after being caught repeatedly driving unlicensed.
The NSW Opposition has taken up his case, with a call for teenagers with repeat driving convictions to receive penalties such as community service work.
Jed's mother, Nettie Vincent, claims her son's future has been destroyed, because he will now struggle to find employment in the bush.
Ms Vincent said her son was 16 when he was fined for driving an unregistered car without a licence.
He was picked up on seven further occasions for traffic offences before he was placed in a juvenile justice centre.
The sentence was appealed and three days after turning 19, he was placed in an adult jail to serve a six-month sentence. Jed was released from prison on Good Friday this year.
Ms Vincent said her son should have been forced to visit car accident victims in hospitals rather than lose his licence for almost his entire adult life.
"The police never pulled him aside and spoke to him - they just fined him each time they saw him driving," she said.
"My son would have been better off helping out in the community, visiting car accident victims in hospital, not going to jail and being told he can't get a licence until he is an old man.
"This is what makes young men into outlaws."
Ms Vincent said Jed had dreamed of becoming a Socceroo. Without a car, he could not even attend local games. She said he now wanted to be a mechanic.
Liberal MP Catherine Cusack said Jed was one of a large number of rural teenagers who were being punished for traffic offences. The result was that many would struggle to find jobs and, if they continued to drive, would end up in jail.