Driving a high-performance car is an experience in which emotion and adrenaline merge with the need to maintain precise control and constant attention behind the wheel. These vehicles, specially designed to offer superior performance, require more experienced driving compared to more standard configuration cars, as their speed, acceleration and responsiveness demand greater skill from the motorist.
To drive a supercar it is not necessary to have a special license. It is enough to have a type B license, the car license, to legally get behind the wheel of a superlative sports car without taking into account the age of the license. Therefore, even a novice driver can get behind the wheel of a car with these characteristics as long as he respects the limitations and restrictions inherent to his condition.
Although the debate on the convenience of establishing a special license for driving supercars has not yet begun in Spain, it is interesting to see how other parts of the world are addressing this issue. In an Australian state, it has been decided to introduce a new requirement starting next year: a special license will be required to drive supercars.
South Australia has become the first state in the country to introduce a special driver's license specifically for “ultra-high-power vehicles” which will come into force on December 1, 2024. Authorities define an ultra-high-power vehicle ( UHPV, for its acronym in English) to that specimen that has a weight-power ratio greater than 370 HP per ton. Although buses and motorcycles are exempt, it is estimated that around 200 car models will be affected by this new regulation.
The new license will be called U-Class and is reserved for drivers with three years of experience. In addition, they must complete an online training course in which applicants will be informed of the risks associated with driving a UHPV and the use of advanced driver assistance systems.
Before the new regulations come into force, drivers in the state of South Australia already face new fines of 5,000 Australian dollars (about 3,000 euros) if they deliberately deactivate an “automated intervention system” in a super sports vehicle. The electronic controls referred to in the regulations include anti-lock brakes (ABS), automatic emergency braking (AEB), electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control.
The changes to the rules for driving super sports cars in the state of South Australia were introduced following the death of Sophie Naismith, a 15-year-old girl, who was killed by a Lamborghini Huracán in 2019.
The regional government has also introduced new penalties for drivers who cause a fatal accident, while the penalty for reckless driving is raised from the current 12 months to seven years in prison.
“The tragic death of Sophie Naismith highlighted the serious problems with our current death and serious injury laws,” Kyam Maher, attorney general for the state of South Australia, said in a statement. “These reforms will ensure that people who drive a supercar take greater responsibility for their actions and ensure that authorities have the power to prosecute those who break our road laws and put the lives of others at risk,” he concluded.
