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Source: ONE News -
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UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne is calling on the government to pick up his bill to raise the driving age, says it does not need to reinvent the wheel on lifting the driving age.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce said on Saturday that young people aged between 15 and 24 are over-represented in crash and fatality statistics. He wants to take new proposals to Cabinet early next year.
The options are to look at raising the driving age from 15 to 16 or 17, extending the minimum time spent driving under learner restrictions to a year, a tougher restricted licence test and benefits for those who do driver training or road-safety instruction.
Dunne says his bill is also about meeting similar concerns of young, ill-prepared drivers on the country's roads.
"My bill is already before a Select Committee and would raise the starting age for getting a driver licence to 16 and 18 and a half before you can get your full licence," Dunne said.
Dunne's bill was introduced to Parliament as a government bill with unanimous support in October 2007. It still sits before the Transport Select Committee.
"The government could proceed with the Bill now, rather than embarking on a fresh round of consultation," he said
He said that beginning another round of public consultation on the driving age, when it has a Bill already before a select committee upon which it could invite submissions tomorrow is simply going round in circles.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentmadmeanmichael said on 2010-03-09 @ 19:27 NZDT: Report abusive post
it shouldnt be raised it will just show an increase in the age of people crashing
ShianneV6 said on 2010-02-07 @ 17:42 NZDT: Report abusive post
No I don't think it should, I turn 15 this year and I have been reading the road code and watching how my dad drives for the past 2 years. I think it is unfair on the 15 year old's this year who have been so patient and studied, so they can be good and responsible drivers and that the law should punish drivers who have not been responsible not the ones who haven't done anything wrong.
Ian I said on 2009-11-16 @ 18:36 NZDT: Report abusive post
Continual promises to invest in the youth of New Zealand have failed to feature in this bill which is set to deliver virtually nothing and will penalise the good youth of New Zealand to appease the vociferous few. Little thought has gone toward a graduated scheme where these young people could enter into driver training programmes at age 15 and graduate at as approved drivers. At least Insurance companies have realised if you teach people to drive through higher level driver training there are savings to be made, both of asset and lives.
mumof 8 said on 2009-11-16 @ 12:46 NZDT: Report abusive post
no! most teens involved in serious accidents are driving without the correct liscense, are breaking the law and are over 16. those offenders will continue to flout the law regardless of driving age.I suggest.... tougher penalties..impound car and take offenders to police station to be picked up by parent. 0 alcohol limit. instead of longer learning period i suggest a logbook with required hours supervised practice. punish law breakers not responsible teens.
Georgie_1 said on 2009-11-14 @ 21:48 NZDT: Report abusive post
I am fourteen, and even I can see that the driving age is ridiculous. Fifteen is WAY to low, and I think that the age for learners should be raised to 17. I think that other ideas such as 0.0 alcohol readings, year-long learner periods, defensive driving courses, and car-modification restrictions would all help to ease the problem. Even if not all of these ideas are put in place, something has to be done - 15 is unacceptable.