Tom’s Law has been in force in Western Australia since 1 December 2024. It limits red P-plate drivers to one passenger at all times, subject to specified exceptions. The tougher measures put to public consultation in September 2025, including 75 supervised learner hours, a three-year provisional period, a zero-alcohol limit for supervising adults and tighter phone rules, were proposals. The latest official record located for this article is a Parliament of Western Australia Legislative Assembly Hansard entry dated 18 February 2026. It says consultation feedback was analysed to inform further reforms, but it does not confirm that any of those measures became law. Check Transport WA for anything issued after that date.
How the campaign began
In September 2021, Tom Saffioti, 15, and his 17-year-old friend Mark Bogoni died when the car carrying them hit a kerb and a tree in Seville Grove. There were five passengers in the car. ABC reported that it was being driven by an 18-year-old P-plate driver. Tom and Mark were passengers, and the campaign built around them is about two young people with families, not only about the crash.
Samantha Saffioti, Tom’s mother, has described the campaign as personal. As PerthNow and The Sunday Times reported, she said: “If Tom’s story can spark even one young person to make a safer choice, then that’s a powerful legacy.” Angie Perkins, a family friend, gave the campaign’s direct message to drivers, as quoted by ABC: “We’re pleading that you drive like your mate’s life depends on it because it does.”
These are statements of motivation and advocacy. They explain why the campaign exists, but they are not evidence about which rules prevent crashes.
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What is already law: Tom’s Law
Tom’s Law took effect on 1 December 2024. Under it, red P-plate drivers in WA may carry only one passenger at a time, unless an exception applies. Transport WA’s official summary, published on its “Red plate. One mate | New rules for red P-platers” page (updated 17 October 2025), says the restriction applies to all red P-platers. The government presented the change as a way to reduce distraction among newly licensed drivers, and it followed advocacy by Tom’s family after the crash.
Exceptions to the one-passenger limit
- Immediate family. Passengers who are immediate family members of the driver.
- Experienced passengers. Passengers who have held a driver’s licence for at least four years.
- Work-related driving. The driver must carry a letter from their employer and present it on request.
Penalty and curfew
ABC’s coverage of the announcement reports a penalty of $200 and two demerit points for breaching the passenger limit. The midnight-to-5am curfew for red P-plate drivers continues alongside the passenger rule.
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Passenger rules are not uniform across Australia. Transport WA says Tom’s Law brought WA into line with other Australian jurisdictions, but ABC’s earlier reporting notes that the exact rules vary from state to state. Do not assume the WA rule applies if you drive interstate.
The 2025 proposals: what was put to consultation
In September 2025 the government released a package of further measures for public comment. None of these is a current requirement. The table sets each proposal against the position described in the 2025 coverage.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches| Measure | Position described in the 2025 coverage | Proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Supervised learner driving (logbook) hours | 50 hours | Increase to 75 hours |
| Provisional period | Two years | Extend to three years |
| Blood alcohol concentration for supervising adult | Allowance described as below 0.05 | Zero |
| Phone use by learner and provisional drivers | Not stated in the 2025 coverage | Hands-free calls limited to in-car systems. Navigation and audio remain possible if set up before the trip, with the device secured in a mount and not touched while driving. |
| Minimum learner period | Six months | Twelve months |
| Theory and hazard-perception tests | Not stated in the 2025 coverage | Online options proposed |
The learner and provisional groups would be the main people affected by these changes, and the zero-alcohol proposal would apply to the adults who supervise learners. The figures and phone conditions above are as reported by PerthNow and The Sunday Times (27 September 2025) and ABC News (28 September 2025).
Where the proposals stand
The consultation ran for six weeks, from September to November 2025. A Parliament of Western Australia record dated 18 February 2026 reports 7,701 submissions and says that 67% of respondents were aged 16–24. It states that the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure analysed the feedback to inform further reforms. It does not say which options were accepted, rejected or enacted, and the number of submissions does not indicate an outcome.
To check the current position:
- Open Transport WA’s “Red plate. One mate | New rules for red P-platers” page and confirm the wording of the passenger rule and its exceptions.
- Search the Parliament of Western Australia and the state’s legislation for a bill or regulations that amend learner or provisional licence conditions.
- Treat a consultation proposal as a requirement only once it appears in enacted law or in an official Transport WA notice that states it applies.
Reading the statistics correctly
- 107 killed or seriously injured per 100,000 population for WA drivers aged 17–19. This is from the Western Australian Government’s The Western Australian Road Fatalities and Serious Injuries 2023 report, as cited by Transport WA. It describes one age group in one state and year. It is not a rate for all young people, and it does not show the effect of any one rule.
- 7,701 consultation submissions and 67% of respondents aged 16–24, from the Parliament of Western Australia (2026). These describe who responded, not what the evidence supports.
- About 40,000 visits to the Tom’s Story campaign page during the September–November 2025 consultation, from the Parliament of Western Australia (2026). This is campaign reach, not a safety outcome.
No published evaluation located for this article shows that Tom’s Story or the 2025 proposals reduced crashes, deaths or injuries. The same applies to the passenger limit, which has not been measured against crash data in the material reviewed.
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What this means for learners, parents and supervisors
- Red P-plate drivers should assume the one-passenger limit applies unless they fall within an exception. Work-related driving requires an employer letter that is carried in the vehicle.
- Supervising adults should check the current blood alcohol rule on Transport WA’s website before supervising. The zero-alcohol requirement was a 2025 proposal, not a confirmed rule.
- Logbook records of supervised hours are a practical aid. Confirm the official recordkeeping requirement with Transport WA before relying on any logbook or template, because the sources reviewed do not establish that a particular product satisfies WA requirements.
- Professional driving instruction is relevant if you want structured practice, especially for hazard-perception skills, which appear in the policy discussion. No specific instructor, program or provider is recommended here.
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