Say goodbye to the easy restricted tests

[Lurch]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...of-driving-age

It's probably about time we actually forced people to learn how to drive rather than just how to pass the test though.

p.s. Sorry for all you under 14 year olds out there.

[neels]

There will still be people who are bad drivers whether they are 16, 18 or 80. And they'll still just learn what they need to pass the test and probably get their or their mates dad to sign off on their supervised driving time. It's just making the inexperienced drivers a year older.

Thankfully my son will have his restricted before this happens, so I won't be spending so much of my time getting him to work and back.

[oldrider]

Driving is about "competence and attitude", age has nothing to do with it!

Our politicians must be "seen" to be doing "something", even "stupid is superior to nothing", in their self serving eyes!

That is what happens when elected officers know not what to do, this lot are not really any different to the last lot!

MMP can only result in a compromise between the stupid!

MMP will be covered by a "binding" referendum, next election! Are you prepared for it?

[p.dath]

I approve of these changes. In fact, they are exactly what I suggested when I made by 2020 submission.

We'll know if it was the right them to do or not in a couple of years.

[Squiggles]

Doesnt go far enough imo... I'd be looking at retesting every 10 years at least

[TOTO]

That a good start. Hope the no alcohol restriction goes ahead as well, and hopefully the drinking age gets raised to 21.

[wickle]

Making the test harder is good but it still not change the attiude of some drivers, every day I see "teenage driving habits" from so called mature (mainly men) drivers in they high powered Holdens and Fords leaving my work site!

[BMWST?]

Driving is about "competence and attitude", age has nothing to do with it!

Our politicians must be "seen" to be doing "something", even "stupid is superior to nothing", in their self serving eyes!

That is what happens when elected officers know not what to do, this lot are not really any different to the last lot!

MMP can only result in a compromise between the stupid!

MMP will be covered by a "binding" referendum, next election! Are you prepared for it?

age has lots to do with it.The brain can just not cope with things at certain ages.As for the MMp comments at least we have several different stupid groups instead of two self centred groups with ALL the say.Often a minority government in real terms.Are you prepared to go back to that ?

[Bikernereid]

+ These are good measures to start with and the suggested hours should have a caveat about having to spend a specified amount of time with a registered driving instructor. This way at least there is no way of getting some one to 'sign off'on the amount of hours you have spent supervised.

[p.dath]

+ These are good measures to start with and the suggested hours should have a caveat about having to spend a specified amount of time with a registered driving instructor. This way at least there is no way of getting some one to 'sign off'on the amount of hours you have spent supervised.

I believe the Victorian model (which we are most likely to use) just specifies a fully licenced driver, and they accept there will be some abuse of the system. The thought is that most parents would prefer there children gained the extra experience rather than help or allow them to chat.

If you specify a registered instructor the cost of getting a licence will increase drastically, and we'll probably face a short term shortage of instructors.

I'd prefer to try the "honest" approach first, and if that fails, consider the mega expensive approach of using a registered instructor.

[peasea]

Making the test harder is good but it still not change the attiude of some drivers, every day I see "teenage driving habits" from so called mature (mainly men) drivers in they high powered Holdens and Fords leaving my work site!

Not to mention bad-ass mothers in their 4X4's!

[Hanne]

Interesting chat from Radio NZ's nine to noon programme.

I have to agree that the best thing would be a longer learner period.
Stephen has done maybe 50 hours driving in the past 1 1/2 years.... And he drives WAY more than most people who just want to graduate quickly through the system. Passing restricted test after just five hours behind the wheel, spread over 6 months? It'd be laughable if we didn't have to share the road with drivers who are so woefully ill-equipped for the situations they are putting themselves in....

[arkie]

age has lots to do with it.The brain can just not cope with things at certain ages.As for the MMp comments at least we have several different stupid groups instead of two self centred groups with ALL the say.Often a minority government in real terms.Are you prepared to go back to that ?

I agree age is significant in terms of driving ability but I also agree that people can remain bad drivers no matter what age they are.

On MMP: It has to be the best system available (close to being truely representative) but it needs to be altered for our needs. I don't think altering MMP is an option on the referendum which I think many people would support. Changing back to FPP is such a completely backwards step that it shouldn't be considered by anyone. Like BMWST? said, minority governments are only really possible under FPP and I think that's a bad thing. A government that more people voted against than for is no good.

This referendum wil also have the option of voting for STV (Single Tranferable Vote; which we use for local body elections) and Preferential Voting which is similar but both are too complicated to work effectively IMO. Changing the threshold and altering the way the list works would be significant, but positive changes to MMP.

Many countries who use MMP have altered it after a few elections so it suits their nation better, why can't we? Keeping MMP will save us from going backwards and prevent us from having to learn another system (though I think it would be wise to run a re-education campaign for MMP, Most complaints I hear about MMP are based on a misunderstanding of representation and / or anger about apparent "tail wagging the dog" minority parties)

[bogan]

I agree age is a factor, but not everyone is instantly mature enough after 15, or 16, me and my mates were all driving on farms well before 15, so found it bloody easy. City kids who's only experience of drive pre 15 is playing GTA are probably not as prepared as we were, but the gubbermint can't measure that, so they take the easy option, and who cares about the inconvenience to rural familys. I reckon make the test bloody hard, put some hardout hazards in a controlled environment (driving sims perhaps?) to weed out those incapable, and leave the age be.

[Hanne]

And they'll still just learn what they need to pass the test and probably get their or their mates dad to sign off on their supervised driving time.

It's just making the inexperienced drivers a year older.
.

Yep, reckon these 'changes' will just push the blip in accident-rates up one year! Not nearly enough being done on training side of things, which is where it actually counts.

Watched the news last night and they said they were raising the number of supervised hours from 50 to 120. Thought 'eh?', I never had to do 50 hours, or any set number of hours for that matter...

Reading closer, you see the 'RECOMMENDED' number of hours on learners is changing from 50 to 120. Which means bugger all, given that most people learning to drive don't do 50 anyway... (riding is different, given you don't need supervisor, so I would say most people doing going through system on a bike would have done far more practical hours). Apparently the log book system was trialled in oz by surprise surprise most people admitted to forging their log books.

Best system I have experienced was in Germany, where everyone has to have hours at a driving school, practical and theory, and need hours signed off in the wet, at night, in heavy traffic etc. Ensures people are well prepared for all conditions and surrounds driving and the licence with an auro of respect. Of course it helps that German public transport actually works! Nevertheless, I think 10 hours of compulsory training in class and in different conditions would be a good thing and achieve far more than the changes outlined atm.