Kate Hawkesby: Driver licence testing in this country is a money-grabbing joke

Michael O'Brien was given an automatic fail by a VTNZ driving instructor after the fuel warning light came on 23 minutes into his 45-minute restricted driver licence test. Photo / 123RF

The restricted licence testing is a joke. Last year 45 per cent of kids sitting their restricted licence test failed.

Almost half of all drivers sent away only to have to come back and pay the almost $90 it costs to re-sit the test.

Just as the bus lane tickets are a revenue gathering exercise, I think this is too.

Some kids have to re-do the test over and over again. Each time, another $87.

I feel sorry for many of these kids trying to pass - obviously the ones who can't drive or aren't up to it, fair enough.

But for many of these kids, it's something well beyond their control which fails them. Anyone driving with a learner driver these days knows that these kids often know the road rules and how to navigate them better than we do.

Lots of our kids' friends are at the restricted licence age: we've heard plenty of unfair stories from their experiences.

One failed the test by not having their L plate correctly stuck on the windscreen, one failed for driving too slow. Another failed for waiting too long at a Give Way sign. Another claims she drove worse in her second test, yet passed that one - it depends on the assessor.

One of my sons, who was off to sit the test, checked his car to make sure all was well, and it was. Then, while driving to the test, one of his brake light bulbs blew.

He explained to the officer on arrival what had just happened, and asked that given he'd driven 20 minutes to get to the testing station in rush-hour traffic, with no further times available for tests for another few weeks, could he please sit the test anyway if he promised to get the bulb replaced immediately after.

No, was the answer. He had to turn around and drive home, and get on a waiting list for the next available time slot for a test. When I called VTNZ to ask how that's fair, I was told 'tough luck'.

The officer is allowed to fail you, and that's that.

I asked if his test cost could be refunded or put against another test, again, no. They were happy to take the money, even though the car never left the VTNZ car park.

Jesse O'Brien, left, complained when his teenage son Michael was failed during his driver licence test after the fuel warning light came on. Photo / Supplied

A Hamilton dad yesterday proved more lucky than me. His son was subject to the ridiculousness of the restricted driver test when he was failed because the fuel light came on during his test.

VTNZ define sufficient fuel as enough to you to the testing location, do the test, then come home again.

In this particular car, the dad's research and a bit of maths worked out the car's tank had plenty to get to the test, complete it, and drive home again. He made a formal complaint to VTNZ and was refunded the test cost. In this instance, it was the officer's fault. But as the dad pointed out, he had to follow the process to uncover that - and chase it up himself.

Rigorous testing systems are fine when they're fair - but in VTNZ's case, it's often not.