Do our driving skills reduce over time?

What people think: Drivers gradually forget the rules and become less capable over time.
What the research suggests: Drivers generally retain their knowledge but can come unstuck when faced with unfamiliar situations.

The ViaStrada and Mackie Research study – which included a survey of more than 500 drivers and workshops with smaller groups – found little evidence that drivers simply forget road rules as they get older. Instead, knowledge gaps tend to emerge in completely new or unfamiliar scenarios, such as recently introduced road signs, uncommon traffic controls, or complex driving environments.

AA Research Foundation Programme manager Christopher Stachowski says this comes down to habit.

“Drivers are heavily shaped by habit, and habit can become a blind spot. If you don’t often encounter a particular type of intersection, or if a new type of sign or a rule is introduced that you don’t regularly encounter, it’s easy to see how uncertainty can arise.”

The challenge is adapting to change, he says, not remembering the basics.

What people think: Unsafe drivers just need to learn the rules better.
What the research suggests: Knowledge is important, but behaviour, judgement and attitude are just as critical.

Roads are a dynamic environment that require constant interpretation, risk assessment and quick decision making.

While the road code provides fundamental knowledge, it doesn’t automatically translate into safe behaviour.

With so many variables, from other people’s behaviour to unexpected hazards, the black and white rules of the road code are not the only things keeping a driver safe. In reality, attitudes, habits, and judgement also determine how safely people drive.

“Safe driving isn’t just about recalling rules; it’s about awareness, responding to situations and making good decisions in real time,” Christopher says.

The research found that a small group of drivers with very low knowledge scores were more likely to report higher crash involvement. While this result comes from a limited sample and does not establish a direct link between knowledge gaps and crashes, it suggests that a particular focus may be needed on trying to improve knowledge among drivers with especially poor understanding. 

What people think: Overseas drivers are worse at obeying the road rules than locals.
What the research suggests: Unfamiliar environments can challenge any driver.

The research indicates that for most drivers – regardless of where they’re from – performance drops when conditions are unfamiliar.

Overseas visitors and migrants may be adjusting to different road rules and layouts, but similar challenges can affect New Zealanders returning from overseas, or even domestic drivers encountering unfamiliar conditions such as rural roads, high-speed highways, or complex urban networks.

The key issue is context. Drivers rely on habits formed in familiar settings, and when those conditions change, even experienced drivers can find themselves uncertain about what to do.

Taken together, the findings point to a simple conclusion: drivers don’t lose what they’ve learned but can struggle to keep up with change.

Whether it’s new road layouts, updated rules, or unfamiliar environments, safe driving requires ongoing learning, awareness and adaptability.

“Staying safe means staying curious. Brush up when things change and maintain a positive, attentive approach behind the wheel,” Christopher says.

“On the road you also need to be ready to recognise and respond to the unexpected, whether that’s unfamiliar conditions, hazards, or a mistake by someone else on the road.”

Driving well isn’t something you master once; it’s a lifelong skill that needs to evolve and change just like the road environment and rules do.