'No second chances' warning for teenage drivers

Leo Tooman. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Another death of a teenager on a restricted licence has prompted a top road policing manager to warn young drivers there are no second chances.

Kelvin Anthony McDonnell, 16, of Te Awamutu was killed when he lost control while overtaking a four-wheel-drive at Ngahinapouri on Monday morning.

Provisional data from last year reveals 61 drivers aged between 15 and 19 were involved in fatal crashes.

Inspector Leo Tooman, Waikato police road policing manager, said initial indications on the cause of the crash were the vehicles collided when Kelvin McDonnell pulled out to pass.

"Of concern to us is that even though Mr McDonnell was driving within the conditions of his restricted driver's licence, he is the latest of several young drivers to be involved in fatal collisions in our district."

Monday's crash was the third involving graduated licence holders in Waikato so far -the worst involved alcohol and a breach of licence where three people were killed near Waihi on January 21.

Mr Tooman said: "Last year 14 of the 41 fatal collisions in the Waikato involved young drivers either breaching their graduated licences or holding no licence at all. This included one triple and three double fatality crashes."

He said too many young people were dying on the roads and in some cases taking the lives of others.

"Not all of these drivers are breaching their licence conditions -in some cases it's just poor decision making- the trouble is out on the roads often there's no second chance."

The Ministry of Transport says 61 per cent of 15- to 19-year-olds involved in fatal crashes between 2007 and 2009 were not on full licences. Legislation to raise the minimum driving age to 16 and allow the NZ Transport Authority to strengthen the restricted licence test is before Parliament.

RECENT CRASHES: THE TERRIBLE TOLL

* Waihi College students Dylan Perkinson, 17, and Vance Williams, 16, were killed on January 22 when their car hit another driven by Mark Sydney, 45, who also died.

* Mary-Lee Huata was travelling home from a wedding after-party when the Toyota Hilux she was in crashed with another vehicle near Wairoa. A 13-year-old boy driving the car was referred to youth aid.

* Learner driver Matthew Lee Gibbs, 15, was killed when he crashed on State Highway 56 on December 13.

* Isaiah Nathan, 13, crashed and died in a stolen car in Manurewa on December 15.

* Brooke Thompson, 16, was killed the following day when a car driven by another 16-year-old crashed in Mission Bay.

* A 17-year-old was the driver of a vehicle that crashed in October that killed Liam Tumai, 18, and Katie Blake, 17, in Huntly.

* Teens Mary Jane Jo Vanna Kingi-Te Purei, 18, Tiata Te Arohanui Maxwell and Te Maungarongo Te Kuiri Kingi, died in September in a smash near Maramarua. The driver, Kingi-Te Purei, had been stopped for speeding earlier.