Opinion: Youth road deaths call for bolder licence changes

The Government’s recent decisions to replace NCEA has shown it is willing to make bold changes when a system isn’t working.

The question now is whether Minister of Transport Chris Bishop will make the same courageous calls around another system in need of overhaul – getting a driver’s licence.

An announcement is due soon about what people will have to do in the future to earn a driver’s licence and the decisions have the potential to save hundreds of young lives.

New Zealand has one of the worst youth road safety records in the developed world. In recent times about 90 people aged under 25 have died each year and 600 get seriously injured. The most damning statistic is our young drivers are dying at a much higher rate than their Australian peers.

Why? In the AA’s view a major reason is that our licensing system demands far less preparation and training than any other similar country. In most Australian states the learner period is a year and learner drivers must log 100–120 hours of supervised practice. In New Zealand, we have a six-month learner period and no requirements for a minimum amount of practice. A recent AA Research Foundation survey found many learners sit their restricted test with fewer than 40 hours spent practicing behind the wheel.

Which is why the AA is urging the Government to go further than the changes it originally proposed for how people could gain their licence in the future.

The Government is looking at removing the full licence test (so there would only be one practical driving test on the road) and introducing tougher penalties for learner or restricted drivers breaking the rules, plus a zero-alcohol limit until achieving a full licence.

The latter two are good moves, but they’re not enough. Most similar countries do not have a second driving test for a full licence like New Zealand currently does, but they require more practice and training in the learner stage.

Just as the NCEA reform in our colleges is about lifting standards, changing our driver licensing system should be about raising the bar for young drivers.

The AA is calling for a 12-month learner period and a minimum of 60 hours of supervised driving before progressing to a restricted licence. The 60-hours could be done under the supervision of a parent or other family member – but we think the system should include incentives to encourage more use of professional training.

The Government needs to act with the same resolve they showed in reforming NCEA. The evidence is clear, the risks are real, and the opportunity is now.

Let’s not endure years more preventable tragedies before we do what’s needed.

If we had the same rate of road deaths as Australia it would have meant 32 less young lives lost in crashes in 2023. The AA believes this is entirely achievable if the Government makes changes to produce better prepared and safer young drivers.