Girl driver, 14, lucky to be alive, says AA

A 14-year old girl who led police on a 19km pursuit through Tauranga is lucky to be alive, says a road safety advocate says.

The young driver, who had two 15-year-old girls in the car, failed to stop for police, sparking a pursuit through Welcome Bay to Mount Maunganui and back to Papamoa on Monday night.

Acting Senior Sergeant Tristan Murray said the chase ended when the teenager drove over road spikes laid by police in Papamoa.

The driver was also found to have alcohol in her system the breath alcohol limit for drivers under 20 is zero.

The girl was referred to youth aid.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said it was unusual but he had seen similar incidents in his 38-year career.

"These days it is unusual for underage people to be driving. They are few and far between. It's even more unusual for them to be involved in something like this."

AA spokesman Mike Noon said it was lucky no one was hurt given the girl had not even been taught to drive.

"It's maybe very lucky that it didn't end in tragedy."

Mr Noon said studies showed young female drivers were six times more likely to crash when they started driving on their own which was why the restricted licence test had been made more difficult.

"There's a lack of judgment there in terms of getting into a car with an unlicensed driver. it's the same as being in the car with a drunk driver," he said.

Tauranga City Council transportation manager Martin Parkes was also concerned about the dangerous actions of the young driver.

"Thankfully this type of incident is relatively rare on our network, but if we are to achieve the goals set out in the government's road safety strategy 2020 we will need to continue to work hard with our road safety partners to eradicate this type of behaviour from New Zealand's roads," he said.

"We need the public to better understand and accept the adverse effect that any level of alcohol and drugs has on safe driving."