Death-crash teen's dad backs one year, but not two

The father of a girl who narrowly avoided death in a crash that killed two teenagers supports lifting the minimum driving age up to 16 - but says 17 would be too old.

Gerald Beach's daughter Jordyn, 17, was one of seven young people in a van that collided with a car on State Highway 50, near Taradale in Hawkes Bay, in November.

The 16-year-old driver had allegedly been drinking, and is facing two manslaughter charges in the Youth Court.

Jordyn and two others - Max Harman, 19, and Robert Waikari, 17 - were thrown over the railing of a bridge over the Tutaekuri River, landing on gravel.

Jordyn had a broken arm, a gash to her head and bruising to her legs. The two males were killed.

Mr Beach told the Herald last night: "I doubt there will be a day where she doesn't think about things, I'm pretty sure there isn't."

Mr Beach said he was "from a generation of people who drove slow, old cars" and teenagers these days were driving cars that were too powerful.

He supported raising the driving age to 16, but believed 17 "would be a bit of a debate" because public transport wasn't easily accessible for teenagers who had left school but still needed to get to work and around.

"The bottom line is they are far too young at 15 - and they're probably too young at 16, too, but we have to be realistic about the type of environment we live in."

He said his daughter had recovered well from her injuries.

CABINET APPROVES

* Driving age to go from 15 to 16.
* More education and training.
* Defensive driving course can be done sooner.

Looking at:

* Tougher penalties for breaching licence conditions.
* Power restrictions on young drivers' cars.