Call for driver equity fund

A national collective of driver education and road-safety advocates is calling on the government to commit to establishing a national driver equity fund. 

They say such a fund would be a “game changer” for New Zealand by improving safety outcomes and saving lives.

The Driving Change Network, a national network of more than 900 stakeholders representing community providers, motoring instructors, non-profit organisations and iwi, is calling for a more effective education and licensing system built on education, accessibility, equity and safety.

Wendy Robertson, pictured, national director, says: “A driver equity fund would be a game changer for education and training in New Zealand, helping to raise the skill levels of drivers and ultimately saving lives.

“We can achieve this by redirecting proceeds of fines from traffic-safety cameras into a new fund, enabling sustainable funding for equitable and accessible driver education, training and licensing.

“A driver’s licence is a key practical tool that helps connect New Zealanders to work, education and full social participation. 

“We’re confident a fund will remove barriers for people currently ineligible for limited government support including Maori, Pasifika and low-income rural communities, and reduce the pressure to drive unlicensed by funding the education, training and licensing help they need.”

At present, all traffic-safety camera revenue is allocated into the government’s consolidated fund and is left to the government of the day to use as it sees fit. By redirecting a ringfenced percentage to a national driver equity fund, it could be used in a variety of ways.

Roberston says: “Ring-fencing this money could enable New Zealanders to get practical driver support that actually helps them get and keep a licence. 

“This could also include learner-study help, supervised practice hours, hazard perception training, driver-licence test prep, access to a legal car and a mentor through community programmes. It’s an investment that pays back in fewer crashes, fewer victims and more people safely licensed and employable.”

The approach isn’t unprecedented and has proven to be effective across the Tasman where various states have had considerable success, says Robertson.

In New South Wales, revenue from camera offences goes into a community road-safety fund, which has helped save more than 1,400 lives, West Australia has a road-trauma account and Queensland directs fines to road-safety initiatives.

“A national driver equity fund could start with pilot programmes in high-need regions, delivered with trusted community providers and scaled nationally over two years,” explains Robertson. 

“If we pair this with an education-led approach rather than punitive measures, we’ll make a start on reducing low-level offending that makes its way to our courts, lift employability and, most importantly, save lives.

“By ensuring people get timely help to gain a licence and stay within licence conditions, we can keep more whanau safely and legally on the road – a practical equity and harm-reduction approach that strengthens road safety as well as our communities and justice system.”