Grieving mum to present foreign driver petition to Parliament today

Judy Richards (foreground) pictured holding a photograph of her son Rhys Middleton while other family members gather around the headstone at his graveside in Tauranga. Photo/file

A petition of 8500 signatures will be handed to Parliament today asking for stricter rules to be imposed on foreign drivers.

The petition calls for compulsory full driver's licence tests for visitors who want to drive, if they are here for more than three months.

Tauranga woman Judy Richards lost son Rhys Middleton a year ago last Tuesday and said roads must be made safer for New Zealanders, and tourists.

Mrs Richardson said many people who came to New Zealand were used to jammed motorways, not open and winding New Zealand roads.

She said it was not a move against tourism, it was about equipping people with the knowledge they need to understand our roads.

Mrs Richards said police said on the day of her son's accident the woman who drove into her son was such a bad driver that it wasn't a question of if, but when.

Mrs Richards will present the petition to New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters at Parliament today.

Mr Peters said there should be a greater prescription for foreign drivers to know what they're doing on our roads.

"Other countries have these strictures and have these more stringent conditions, and so should we," he said.

"When 22 people died on the road last year as a result of actions by foreign drivers, then it's a serious concern."

Over the last three years - following heightened publicity over the behaviour of tourist drivers - authorities and the the tourism industry have taken steps to educate visitors about driving on New Zealand roads.

But Mr Peters said the steps taken have been grossly insufficient.

"When I go to the United States or the UK or Europe, I'm required to obey their laws and have an understanding of them, and a pretty fundamental one at that. In New Zealand, I think we're far too loose."

- Newstalk ZB

Judy Richards, the mum of Rhys Middleton who was killed by a foreign driver, has set up a petition which will be presented to Parliament today. Photo/file