POLICE have reminded young drivers that it is a privilege to have a licence.
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Although only about 15 per cent of road users are young drivers, they account for more than a third of road fatalities each year.
Police have appealed to learner and provisional drivers to drive safely and avoid taking risks while behind the wheel.
So far this year, 42 drivers aged between 17 and 25 have died on the road - 12 more than this time last year.
And sadly, one of those young drivers was a Highlander.
Traffic and Highway Patrol commander Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said holding a licence was a privilege, not a right.
"Novice drivers must recognise the responsibilities attached to that licence or risk losing the privilege, or worse, serious injury and death," he said.
He encouraged parents and older siblings of young drivers to ensure they were driving safely on all NSW roads.
In the last financial year, police issued 21,637 infringements to learner and provisional drivers, almost 600 more than this time last year.
The most common offences by young drivers include mobile phone use while driving, not complying with road rules, improper seat belt use and speeding.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Smith said these offences contradicted the basics of driving, and statistics showed young people needed to slow down and put their phones away.
"It is certainly high time for mothers and fathers, older brothers and sisters to sit down with their younger drivers and tell them there are no shortcuts to driving safely," he said.
"The rules are simple and they are there for a simple reason: surviving the trip."
From July to December 2015, the Highlands region was not represented in the top ten areas for learner and provisional driver offences.
However, based on offences from the first six months of 2016, the Highlands region currently sits in the top six regions of NSW for offences by young drivers.
A total of 130 infringements were given to learner and provisional drivers in the Highlands area in the last financial year.