Farmers tell Key to rethink driver age

John Key - pictured on a visit to Chilton St James School yesterday - says too many youngsters die on the roads. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Federated Farmers is urging the Government to rethink plans to raise the driving age to 16, saying it will not reduce the road toll but will make life difficult for rural teenagers.

Prime Minister John Key indicated the rise in the driving age yesterday and said it was unlikely there would be any exceptions.

The measure is part of its Road Safety Strategy, being released today, which outlines measures aimed at reducing road deaths.

"It'll take some time to go through a select committee process and for the law to be changed ... but it will be this side of Christmas if it occurs," he said.

One of the reasons for the change was New Zealanders aged 15 to 19 had 60 per cent more fatalities and crashes than their Australian counterparts.

Federated Farmers transport spokesman Donald Aubrey said the Automobile Association and the Council of Trade Unions were also opposed to the change.

"Raising the driving age won't lower the road toll. More time behind the wheel and improved training is the key," Mr Aubrey said.

He said it would be better to extend the restricted licence period and other training options instead of raising the minimum age.

"The statistics all show that accidents spike when people get their full licence. Without better training, raising the age just pushes the problem one year on."

Mr Key said he expected opposition from rural communities.

"I think if you look at the accidents that have occurred with 15-year-olds in rural communities, there are too many youngsters dying on the roads," he said.

"This is about saying 'look, the driving age was always aligned with the school leaving age, the school leaving age is now 16'."

He said that might cause some inconvenience for parents in rural communities but "if that means that a youngster lives and doesn't die in a road fatality, I think that's a sacrifice worth making".

- NZPA