mycar launches ‘R Plates’ for road trauma victims

AUSTRALIAN service workshop chain mycar, formerly K-Mart Tyre & Auto, has launched its R Plate campaign to recognise the mental toll road trauma can take.

The campaign aims to signify to road users that a driver may need “extra care” and space to ease back into daily driving.

The mycar announcement says it’s about ensuring “recovering drivers can confidently return to the road knowing they are in a supportive space”, and the plates are free for download.

“Our ambition is to have R Plates adopted and recognised nationwide,” the mycar website says.

“If you see an R Plate on a car, know that someone is bravely returning to the road and treat them with empathy, respect and extra care.”

The service chain is pushing to gain government regulatory support by way of a pledge, urging supporters to sign the petition to mandate R Plates.

mycar says about three quarters of Australians, based on a 1000-person survey conducted by Pureprofile earlier this year, have been affected by a road incident and, of those, 21 per cent took at least six months to feel comfortable driving again.

“Returning to the road can be a scary and nerve-wracking experience, so even just having those feelings recognised could help people to recover faster,” said University of Melbourne associate professor, Dr Jason Thompson.

“Every year in Australia, about 50,000 people are involved in a road incident that requires some level of hospitalisation or treatment.

“Often, we focus very much on the physical injuries that people have, and once those physical injuries are fixed or healed, we think that the person is better. That might be the case, but for a lot of people, it’s the psychological trauma that is the ongoing problem for them.

“What I consistently find most interesting is that it’s so unspoken in the community, but as soon as you talk about it everyone has an example – themselves, their family, their friends, it suddenly bubbles to the surface.

“It’s a huge burden that Australia carries and it’s something that we can do something about, and I think this campaign is a great start,” he said.

Dr Thompson explained that when surveyed, over a quarter of Australians said having a physical sign on their car would make them feel more safe and more supported.

A video series on the company’s site highlights the serious psychological effects of road accidents, a silent burden many carry and one that can them from ever wanting to drive again.

As it stands, the campaign is not affiliated with any road transport authority but has seen widespread media attention, which may change that. Arguments from both sides of the fence say the R plate scheme may face its challenges, particularly from those who view R (and P and L) plate drivers as the subject of derision.