Tougher test for drivers of powerful cars?

Should new drivers have similar restrictions like new motorcycle riders?

That question was raised by radio DJ The Flying Dutchman, whose real name is Mark van Cuylenburg. He was discussing the accident between a Nissan GT-R and a Toyota Altis at Leisure Park Kallang carpark F with co-host Glenn Ong during their morning show yesterday.

A clip of the accident on Saturday showed the speeding GT-R, driven by an 18-year-old who got his licence four months ago, crossing a stop line and slamming into the Toyota.

 The GT-R was driven by an 18-year-old who got his licence four months ago. PHOTO COURTESY OF MR DESMOND

The hosts of ONE FM's #1 Breakfast Show argued passionately, with The Flying Dutchman pushing for restrictions on the kind of cars that new drivers should be allowed to handle.

He said: "If I'm 18, and you allow me to buy a $500,000 supercar, I'll buy it. Four wheels can cause more damage than two wheels. That's the problem."

On Monday, the police posted a statement on Facebook stating that they had arrested an 18-year-old on Saturday for his "suspected involvement in a case of dangerous driving and taking part in an unauthorised speed trial".

Said The Flying Dutchman: "These cars become weapons in the hands of people who don't know how to drive them."

Ong, however, felt that an experienced driver is not necessarily a safer driver.

He said: "I feel that what's in place is already sufficient. You screw up, you pay.

"You can't say that once something happens, you then have a blanket ban or restriction on one group of people."

The New Paper asked motoring experts whether the tiered licensing system for motorcyclists, where they must pass three tests before being allowed to handle bigger, more powerful machines, should be introduced for drivers as well.

Agreeing, Professor Lee Der-Horng, a transport researcher at the National University of Singapore, said regulations based on the horsepower of the cars should be used.

"We should have this rule (tiered system for motorcyclists) for drivers of high-performance sports cars, like the GT-Rs... Vehicle technology is so advanced these days, we should impose these rules."

By his own admission, the GT-R driver, Mr Herman Shi Ximu, said he has had only four months of driving experience.

Notwithstanding his lack of experience, Mr Gerard Pereira, operations manager of Singapore Safety Driving Centre, said Mr Shi, a full-time national serviceman, should not have been speeding at the carpark as "it's not a racing track".

He said it is advisable for drivers to gain five to six years of experience before handling a high-performance vehicle.

Mr Ong Kim Hua, president of the Motorcycle Safety and Sports Club, said the ruling should be kept simple and be based on horsepower and engine capacity.

"Simply put, as the driver gains more experience, his horsepower allotment should be allowed to increase progressively," he said.

Some, like Torque magazine editor David Ting, felt that age should not be a factor in determining a person's ability to handle a powerful car.

He said: "Age per se is not so much a factor as experience, ability, and situational awareness."

After all, some race drivers are so young that they do not qualify for a driver's licence on the road.

Mr Ting added: "Of course, it might not be the ideal situation if you jump straight away into a powerful twin turbo car like the GT-R. But there's no law against a newbie driving a fast car."

TNP understands that some dealers of supercars self-regulate by employing best practices, such as giving tutorials when inexperienced drivers buy or rent their cars.

And at least one marque, Pagani Zonda, will sell its cars only to customers who have proven they can handle supercars.

- Additional reporting by Arya Thampuran