The Australian Medical Association made the call as it released a new position paper on road safety in which it outlined a number of measures for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
It said laws covering the use of mobile phones and electronic devices in cars should be strictly enforced, with a "zero tolerance" approach introduced for P-plate and L-plate drivers.
"More than a thousand Australians are dying every year. Those numbers are not getting any better. And sadly, and a lot evidence says that some of the heavy hitting, confrontational public safety messages from five, ten years ago may even be losing their impact. Driving is a responsibility not a right, and it's important that new drivers learn good habits from the start."
AMA president Dr Michael Gannon
