15 too young for drivers licence?

**McJim** · 7th August 2006, 07:36

Instead of more tickets, lower speed limits, better roads here's a different solution to prevent road accidents.

http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,11964-6136903,00.html

Or is it just a Pom having a whinge?

you decide

**Bob** · 7th August 2006, 07:52

You can drive at 15? Wow.

You used to be allowed to ride a really tiny moped (50cc I think) here at 15, many years ago. But that was raised to 16 (being when you can leave school), with 125cc allowance at 17 then 18 before you can do your restricted (to 33bhp, so realistically a 250cc bike) two years licence at 18.

I'm not sure what the legal age for cars is here, but I'm guessing 18.

**Grahameeboy** · 7th August 2006, 07:54

I agree...when I first arrived in NZ I remember seeing some kid literally behind the wheel!!
I think 15 is an impressionable age and too young to drive as they are more likely to pick up bad habits.....I mean how many cars do you see with learners driving??
Plus cheap japanese imports does not help.

**James Deuce** · 7th August 2006, 07:58

Yes it is too young. But very few people on KB agree with me. The standard excuse of school leavers of 15 needing a license doesn't apply anymore.

We're so risk averse now that most 15 year olds I've met aren't aware that you can die, let alone get hurt in an MVA. Given the lack of personal responsibility that people are required to own these days, I think 24 would be a good minimum age.

For women.

There are still too many "men" at 24 who have all the ego issues of a 12 year old. I reckon it should probably be 35 for men, after they have been forced to pay $100,000 to get their license. That might make a few people value it.

I think people should HAVE TO RIDE BIKES as a first vehicle too. Push bikes that is. They can have a motorcycle if they don't fall off their pushie for 5 years.

**Edbear** · 7th August 2006, 08:21

Originally Posted by Jim2

Yes it is too young. But very few people on KB agree with me. The standard excuse of school leavers of 15 needing a license doesn't apply anymore.

We're so risk averse now that most 15 year olds I've met aren't aware that you can die, let alone get hurt in an MVA. Given the lack of personal responsibility that people are required to own these days, I think 24 would be a good minimum age.

For women.

There are still too many "men" at 24 who have all the ego issues of a 12 year old. I reckon it should probably be 35 for men, after they have been forced to pay $100,000 to get their license. That might make a few people value it.

I think people should HAVE TO RIDE BIKES as a first vehicle too. Push bikes that is. They can have a motorcycle if they don't fall off their pushie for 5 years.

You old cynic, you! LOL!!! I agree that there are far too many drivers on the road who simply have no idea about the dynamics involved in driving! Not restricted to age, gender, race or any other peculiarity, either!

I can remember learning to drive at 13, (shhh!), and was complimented by the Cop who took me for my licence at 15. Unfortunately the licence requirements are not good enough - I don't mind the 15 year old limit, but there does urgently need to be a change in the way NZ licences are granted!

**Drum** · 7th August 2006, 08:29

I got my full drivers license 2 weeks after I turned 15. Yes, I was young (hadnt even been laid yet - but that changed once I could drive!). Of course we were driving Anglia's and Cortina's, not the hotted up death machines that the teenagers drive today.

Sure I had a couple of minor diasagreements with a fence or two, but by the time I was 20 I had 5 years driving experience and was better for it, and havnt been involved in an incident since. Touch wood.

**dhunt** · 7th August 2006, 08:53

I think it depends on the person. Some kids driving is just natural and won't have any problems driving at 15 where as other kids 21 might be tooo young still. What do you do then? ie. Most farm kids are probably driving cars & motorbikes since they were probably 12 or younger - where as joe bloggs in auckland city first jumps in a car when he's done his stratchy test at 15 with no prior experience.

**Squeak the Rat** · 7th August 2006, 08:55

Ah, 15. Throwing on the handbrake at 70kph just to see what would happen.

I was a complete hoon and a bit bloody stupid when I got my licence at 15. And this was when all kids could afford was escorts and 1975 toyota corollas. We were stupid but we had less horsepower than my bike in a car that weighed 10 times as much.

I don't blame the boy racers. Shit if I had a turbo charged subaru impreza when I was 15 I'd be going nuts. And I'd most likely be dead.

**Quartida** · 7th August 2006, 09:09

I agree with dhunt and Squeak.... It's partly about the person and party about the car.

I got my licence at 15. I was taught well and took it easy to begin with (just like with the bike). Have had a few minor "accidents" in my time (example: backing around in a driveway and having a corner of the car just nick the fence....damn, new front indicator needed...), but nothing even vaguely life-threatening. This is because I know my limits, I know my car's limits, and I watch the road.

This last point is not observed by many young drivers. For all 15 year olds: watching the road does NOT mean just watching just the small strip of road in front of you! I think many young people are taught to drive without being taught 'road awareness'*.

* This includes, but is not limited to, watching side roads for oncoming vehicles, slowing down when children are playing beside the road, and not dragging your mates at the traffic lights at 100kmph in a 30 zone.

**GR81** · 7th August 2006, 09:35

chuck a poll up!

**MSTRS:Me** · 7th August 2006, 09:46

Originally Posted by Quartida

I think many young people are taught to drive without being taught 'road awareness'*.

I often think that young people are only taught how to get their licence...

**GR81** · 7th August 2006, 10:14

the 'road awareness' is what the full licence practical test is all about these days.

**Lou Girardin** · 7th August 2006, 10:48

I've tested a couple of 15 year olds who'd shame many older drivers. But most are nowhere near that good. 15 is a stupid age to allow them to drive, but we have a Govt who can't see past writing tickets as a cure for the incompetents they allow to drive.
If you were cynical, you'd say that's the plan.

**dnos** · 7th August 2006, 10:49

I reckon that the license system is a bit screwed. I got my license at 15 after looking at the road code and doing the practice tests the night before. It was so fucking easy!! I then promptly forgot all that crap in my short term memory and had my parents reteach me whilst learning.
It is so easy to get a license that even the stupidest of my mates managed and it was severely laughed upon if you failed.
As for the restricted and full tests they are also easy if you can A-obey road rules and B-make up a whole lot of crap about what could go wrong at the moment the testing person asks.
But that isn't how most people drive and they are on best behaviour whilst being tested - behaviour which is never used under normal conditions.

I really believe that it is far too easy to get a license and there is no way near enough training involved.

Its no wonder there are so many idiots on our roads who aren't aware of all the dangers and believe they are invincible. And there is nothing worse than a driver who doesn't know how to react in an accident.

wow what a long rant. phew

**crashe** · 7th August 2006, 11:12

I say put it up to 17 or 18 years old to get their license.

I said it at my table at the SAFE AS workshop in Hamilton, but the rest bombarded me down... (3 were bikers).

I see so many young kids get behind a wheel and they cant even see over the steering wheel, and no they havent put the seat into the lying down postition either.
So if they cant even see over the steering wheel, how the hell can they even see the road. That is just one example.

Another is they are getting these turbo boosted vehicles and racing around in them. They get in them and they think WOHOOOO I can drive this and I dont care of the consquenceses left behind.

Sure there are one or two that are the exemption (C of CaN) but most do NOT know how to handle these machines.

I got my car license at 17 (closer to 18) and to me that is a better age than 15.
I got my bike license not long after that.
I went and got my HT a few years ago.

I even busted my own daughter taking other passengers in her car as they all piled into her car after school... Yep I pulled up behind the car and hauled each and everyone out of the car. Yep My daughter was so pissed off at me... BUT I will not be having to tell the other kids parents that my daughter injured or killed someone else's child. I made each one promise me that they wouldnt get back in that car. They didnt either, I scared the shit out of them.

Was I mean........ NO... I was saving lives... and my daughter sure learnt not to do it again. All kids try it on by carrying other around in the car when they shouldn't.
A few months later she thanked me for doing it.

Last night as I was in a car and I saw a cop pull over a car full of young girls just past Dairy Flat, what is the bet the driver wasnt meant to be carrying passengers... they were very young looked around 15 or 16.

So I say take it up to 17 or 18.