AA backs licence changes
The AA is welcoming the announcement that young drivers will soon spend at least 12 months on a learner licence.
They will also have the chance to progress sooner by completing a set number of supervised practice hours or approved professional training.
The government this week revealed changes to getting a driver’s licence in New Zealand that will start in January 2027.
They include the default learner period becoming one year instead of six months, removing the test to gain a full licence, tougher consequences for offences while on a restricted licence and a zero-alcohol limit unless a full licence is held.
The AA hopes the revamp will be a positive and balanced step forward for road safety by placing greater emphasis on experience, skill development and safer habits before young people begin driving solo.
Dylan Thomsen, pictured, spokesman for road safety, says: “The government wanted to make it cheaper and easier for people to get to a full licence and the removal of the full test will achieve that.
“And it has listened to the sector to introduce other changes which will hopefully lead to better prepared, safer young drivers as well. The overall package strikes a good balance in the AA’s view.”
Extending the default learner period from six months up to 12 months while actively encouraging more meaningful practice was a change from the government’s original proposal and something that the association wanted to see.
Authorities will decide in coming months exactly how many hours’ practice or what professional training will be required to qualify for the shorter learner period.
“Time alone doesn’t make safer drivers, experience does,” says Thomsen. “The new system will encourage learners wanting to quickly gain a restricted licence to have to put in more practice.
“A longer learner period, combined with incentives to gain real driving experience or undertake professional training gives young drivers a much better chance of developing the skills and judgement they need to be safer on the road.”
A recent AA Research Foundation survey found about half of under-25s had less than 40 hours of practice before sitting their restricted test. Nearly one-in-five reported fewer than 15 hours.
Thomsen says: “Most comparable countries have automatic progression to a full licence but require learner drivers to log a minimum number of supervised hours, complete professional training or both. Bringing New Zealand more into line with these proven approaches is sensible.”
The AA also strongly supports a zero-alcohol limit for learner and restricted licence holders, and tougher consequences for rule-breaking.
In the new system, restricted licence holders who commit no driving offences over 12 months will automatically gain a full licence with no test required.
But if restricted drivers commit any offence that comes with demerit points, they will have an extra six months added to the restricted period. Repeat offending will result in extra six-month extensions.
New Zealand currently has about 90 deaths and 600 serious injuries a year from crashes in which a young motorist is judged to be at fault, according to Ministry of Transport data.
Thomsen says: “Our statistics speak for themselves. Compared with Australia, our 18 to 24-year-olds are nearly three times more likely to die on our roads. If New Zealand had the same rate of road deaths among our young people as Australia, we would have about 20 fewer deaths each year.”
The AA is encouraging families, supervisors and learner drivers to make the most of the upcoming strengthened learner period.
“The learner and restricted stages are a golden opportunity to shape lifelong driving habits. Encouraging more practice, professional training and building up more experience during this time has seen big reductions in crashes involving young drivers in other countries.”
