Novice Drivers - Backgrounder

Current Situation

• The review report recommended strengthening the novice driver regime to provide greater incentives for driving competency.

• Novice drivers currently pay $31 for a learner theory test and $33.50 for the licence itself. When they are ready to move to a restricted licence the practical test is $41 and the licence fee is $33.50. A full class 1 licence practical test is $62 with a licence fee of $45.00. (This comes to a total of $246.00).

What will change?

• A new $11 million road safety education school programme will be introduced early next year to help teachers incorporate road safety messages into all aspects of the curriculum. It will be rolled out progressively to all primary and intermediate schools and is based on a programme already successfully piloted throughout New Zealand.

• A pilot initiative for novice driver training will be introduced mid next year. Training will include behind-the-wheel vehicle control, risk management, hazard perception and driver attitude. The pilot is due to start mid 2002.

This initiative will reflect best practice in driver training, aiming to ensure a driver is not only skilled but experienced and able to exercise sound judgement in a range of traffic situations.

The pilot will be used to determine how best to deliver driver training to novice drivers. Once the pilot results have been considered a decision can be made as to whether or not such a programme should be mandatory.

• Fees for learner, restricted and full driving tests will increase slightly. (See chart attached). Under the proposed changes the total cost to progress through the graduated driver licensing system to a full driver licence would be about $282.30 compared with the current cost of $246. This represents an increase of $36.30. For novice drivers under 25 this cost will be spread over at least 18 months, the minimum time that younger novice drivers can move from learner to full licence. At the end of the process the driver will have a licence that is valid for 10 years.

• Because the cost increase is minimal relative to the benefits of having a license it is unlikely the increase will lead to an increase in unlicensed driving. In most cases people who choose not to have a driver licence do so for reasons other than cost.

• The price of obtaining their full licence is likely to drop slightly for novice drivers, from $45 to about $44.30. This makes the system more equitable by making the cost of the full licence fee the same as a renewal of the ten year licence.

• Some initiatives have already been implemented to improve novice driver education. An example is an interactive programme called Street Talk, developed by the LTSA, that teaches driving skills, managing risk and vehicle control. It offers novice drivers six months off their restricted licence period (or three months if they are over 25). Courses to assist unlicensed drivers to gain learner licences have also been successful. Planning is also underway for a programme to educate parents and caregivers of novice drivers.

Why the changes?

• The Government is committed to lowering the road toll. Last year 462 people died and some 11,500 were injured on our roads. In spite of improvements these figures are still unacceptable. New Zealand is still well below the best results achieved by similar countries and improving safety on our roads is a high priority for the Government.

Later this year the Government will release its Road Safety Strategy 2010.

• The new charges will reflect the true costs of the tests and licensing system.

What more is to come?

• Other proposals recommended by the review will be considered for introduction, for instance the idea of novice drivers having log books to record their supervised driving experience. This proposal will be consulted on before any final changes are made.