Government terrified of testing foreign drivers, says campaigner

About 20% foreign drivers would probably fail a basic driving competency test in this country, says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor and road safety campaigner Clive Matthew-Wilson, says:

“The government is terrified of testing foreign drivers, because the evidence suggests many don’t have the awareness or skills to drive safely in this country. The figure of 20% is a guestimate, but it’s based on a lot of research on my part, including talking to police and the staff at rental firms.”

Matthew-Wilson says the problem is not restricted to drivers from any particular country.

“Of the drivers who’d fail a competency test when they first arrived in the country, some would just be tired and would be okay after a good night's sleep. Some would be basically good drivers who needed some retraining on certain issues— such as which side of the road to drive on. Some drivers simply lack either the awareness or skills to drive safely in this country.”

Matthew-Wilson believes that the government now has “virtually no choice” but to start formulating a suitable test for foreign drivers.

“No matter how often the government claims we can’t test drivers before they rent vehicles, ordinary Kiwis know otherwise. In fact, one rental company already has a DIY test in operation. Their test appears rather easy to pass and is different from the one I have in mind, but it certainly shows initiative.”

“I’m willing to bet that if politicians’ children were getting wiped out in accidents instead of ordinary South Islanders, there’d be a tough driver competency test in place the next day. As things stand, many ordinary South Islanders live in fear of driving down their own roads, while politicians put out soothing press releases from the safety of their Wellington offices.”

Matthew-Wilson’s plan to prevent tourist accidents:

1. Restrictions on the renting of vehicles to tourists within 24 hours of arrival from overseas.

2. An interactive, computer-based competency assessment that must be completed before a vehicle can be rented. The same test would apply before a foreign driver could legally purchase a vehicle in this country.

3. A register of foreign drivers operating vehicles in New Zealand. Rental companies would be required to lodge details, in an NZTA database, of vehicle hires to individuals where their passport shows they have arrived in the country within the previous month. Where Police have concerns about the operation of any vehicle by a foreign driver, they should have the power to restrict the use of further vehicles by that driver.

4. Major changes to road engineering, including

a. the widespread modification of road signage

b. repositioning of marker lines

c. elimination of gravel on the verges of sealed arterial and popular tourist local roads

d. ongoing installation of rumble strips on both sides of each lane to alert drivers to possible danger (not just on the most popular roads, as is the case at present), together with the installation of median barriers and roadside fencing, where practicable, to prevent cars moving onto the wrong side of the road or driving off the road.

e. improvements at all major intersections, including improved signage, warning strips and intersection construction, to lessen the risk of collisions at these points.

5. Improvements to the rental vehicle fleet.

a. a requirement that all rental vehicles meet reasonable crash standards

b. a requirement that all rental vehicles have electronic stability control.

6. Encouragement of alternatives to self-driving

Matthew-Wilson says the government has spent years encouraging tourists to come here, without giving much thought to the fact that some of these tourists would be driving without suitable skills.

“The government first has to stop tired drivers getting behind the wheel. Then it needs to weed out the ones who don’t know which side to drive on. Finally, the government needs to stop suicidal motorists ever driving in this country.”

“Until these steps are taken, the carnage will continue.”

Release ends. For further information please contact dogandlemon.com

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