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In some parts of Australia there is an old saying that it is illegal to use cruise control if you are an L-plater.
- Learner drivers must learn all the functions of their vehicle
- It may not be advisable, but it is not illegal for an L-plate to use cruise control
- As long as the driver follows all other rules, everything is fine
There is no legal presumption that this is the case. In fact, when it comes to the safety of the driver and the safety of all road users, it can be seen as a good thing for learners to use cruise control.
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Cruise control is mainly designed to make driving a longer distance less tiring, with the upside that the driver will be able to get to their destination without breaking any speeding laws and with a relaxed atmosphere around them , because there will be no had to do unnecessary work with their right leg.
In modern cars, however, cruise control systems vary widely, and with the continued push for even more autonomous vehicles that can accelerate, stop, steer, park and – if you believe Elon Musk – drive entirely on their own, it could be done the argument that L-plates don’t learn to drive, not to pilot a vehicle.
If you’re not familiar, there are different types of cruise control. Here’s a quick layman’s description.
The most common and most basic type will allow you to set a speed you want to travel at and the car will maintain that pace (within reason).
A more advanced type of cruise control is adaptive or radar-based cruise control, which allows the driver to set the distance they would like to maintain between their own car and the car in front. If the vehicle in front slows down or stops hard, the following car must essentially mimic the movements of the leading car.
Now there are differences between adaptive cruise control systems, including that some have what’s known as “stall” or “stop-and-go” technology, which will essentially allow the car to come to a complete stop and then start again without any driver intervention.
Other versions require the driver to press a button on the steering wheel or press the accelerator to restart at the originally set speed (although in traffic the car will still judge what speed it should go based on the speed of vehicles in front).
And there’s another type of adaptive cruise control that – rather annoyingly – cuts out when the speed drops to a certain point. There’s nothing quite like finding yourself driving down a multi-lane road and relying on the car to maintain your speed and distance, only for it to decide it doesn’t work at speeds below 30km/h, as has happened to me before.
Other cruise control systems can even adapt their speed to speed limit signs simply by pressing a button on the steering wheel. And there are even some that will automatically adapt to the posted speed limit for you, without intervention (this is commonly known as intelligent cruise control).
There are also newer cars with cruise control systems that are linked to map data and will change the car’s speed based on where the map thinks you are.
I had one of those failures too – driving in an 80km/h speed limit in a tunnel in Sydney, the luxury car I was in decided to think it was driving on the surface streets above, slamming on the brakes while the car ‘thought ” that it is in a 40 km/h school zone.
Also, some new vehicles may have unsophisticated “intelligent” cruise control systems that will slow the car down on bends or bends in the road, even if the suggested speed limit is higher than the speed you set.
And these apparently high-tech systems can still go wrong. I have been in cars that indicated a speed limit on the driver information screen of 110 km/h, but the actual limit on the residential street I was driving on was 50 km/h.
The positive side of modern cruise control systems is that many of them now offer a speed limiter that will allow the driver to set a speed that they do not want to exceed. For both L-plates and P-platers, this can be great technology to ensure they don’t fall foul of the law.
Indeed, there are some scenarios where peak bodies suggest that drivers should not use cruise control. The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia suggests that best practice would be NOT to use cruise control when the speed limit is 60km/h or less, when cornering or when drowsy.
So, no, it is not illegal for a learner driver to use cruise control. But it will be up to that L-plate and the person sitting next to them – be it a parent, sibling, relative or driving instructor – to ensure it’s used correctly, safely and intelligently.
It is not intended as legal advice. Check with the relevant road authorities in your state or territory.
MORE ▼: What are the speed limits for L-plates?MORE ▼: What are the speed limits for P-platers?
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