James and his machine may give road users a case of car envy. He's young. And he drives a fast car.

Looking at him, you may even think he could be a reckless speedster. And you would be half-right.

James had his licence revoked barely six months after passing his driving test at 19. He was caught for speeding.

Now 23 and driving again, he?s not proud of it, and does not want us to use his real name.

He is lucky. No one was hurt by his fast-and-furious ways. However, enough major road accidents involving young drivers have occurred for a letter writer to suggest this in The Straits Times forum page.

Newly-licenced drivers should be confined to driving smaller cars that are 'less deadly' rather than being 'set loose on the road' with powerful cars, he wrote.

It is an idea with good intentions, but is the solution really that simple?

Currently, motorbike riders, not car drivers, get to ease into road usage gradually.

Bikers start off with a Class 2B riding licence (for bikes below 200cc) and have to gain a year's riding experience before they can take a test to get a Class 2A (200-400cc). It takes another year before they can get a Class 2 licence (above 400cc).

This is so they can handle heavier bikes as they get more experience.

Driving a car is nothing like riding abike. A car's capacity isn't the best gauge of its capabilities on the road. The person controlling the wheel is the one to check.

Do young drivers need special attention?

Mr Gerard Ee, former president of the Automobile Association of Singapore, felt that, in general, new drivers should not drive turbo-charged cars because of the massive acceleration.

But driving safely may have nothing to do with age. Or the power of the car.

"It's not just young drivers who get into accidents," Mr Ee said. "If the person is irresponsible, whether you put him in a 1.3-litre or 3-litre car, he still won't drive carefully.

"What is important is that drivers realise that along with the licence to drive comes responsibility."

Mr Hafiz Koh, 23, is Singapore's youngest professional race car driver, and he has driven fast cars such as Lamborghinis, Ferraris and BMWs. He agrees that young drivers are not entirely to blame.

"Many older drivers drive more recklessly than me. It takes a level of maturity to handle a powerful car, and that maturity has nothing to do with age," he said.

Mr Koh believes education will help. He said advanced driving courses are useful for all drivers to learn good habits - and un-learn bad ones.

"They can learn how to handle the car under stressful conditions and make split-second decisions."

Car Times director Eddie Loo, who sells sporty cars like the Toyota MRS and Mazda MX5, said the driving test syllabus could be improved. "Aside from the basics, we should teach new drivers how to handle road emergencies, like how to drive during rainy weather or what to do when your car skids," he said.

"And there should also be a compulsory course on defensive driving for newbies."

Does he think a heavy-handed 'confinement' to lower-capacity cars for young drivers would keep accidents in check?

"It's impractical. A 1.3-litre car can be more powerful than a 3-litre car if it's turbo-charged or has a rotary engine. The horsepower of your car can be doubled or tripled once you talk about turbo-charged engines," Mr Loo said.

Mr Ee suggests shock therapy for a wake-up call. He felt that sessions where learners are exposed to videos and photos of major accidents might help.

"They'll see how reckless driving affects other people, their loved ones, and themselves. And any normal person would not want to live with a troubled conscience, that he or she has harmed someone."

Mr Michael Wong, vice-president of the Motor Trading Association, supports this idea. Young drivers will be young drivers, he said, and going fast is something they are likely to do.

"For those who like to speed, I would say, take them to a circuit. When they lose control of their vehicles and go into a fast spin, they will understand just how scary it is."

So, perhaps, a regulated outlet for the speed demon?