PM announces driving age increase

University students acknowledged many of their peers were - or had been - irresponsible drivers. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Prime Minister John Key has this afternoon announced that an increase to New Zealand's minimum driving age by one year to 16, and a zero-alcohol policy for drivers younger than 20, will be part of a road safety strategy to be unveiled tomorrow. It is understood tougher driver licensing tests will also be included.

Many people young, old, rural and urban told nzherald.co.nz before this afternoon's announcement that they would support the change, though some said it would create inconveniences without improving safety.

"I know, from myself, I wasn't that responsible when I was 15, and being a little bit older would've helped," said 49-year-old Mark Alderson, a tourism operator in Auckland.

He had a 13-year-old son and being able to delay letting him behind the wheel was welcome, Mr Alderson said.

"Bring it on. There's no need for it. There are plenty of other options to get around."

Events manager Barbara Cox, 46, has a 14-year-old son who would have been just a year away from driving.

"These kids haven't finished school yet, so are they ready to get out to the big world and drive on the roads?

"It would have probably been hard to not let him drive at 15 because of the peer pressure, but I would be delighted that it's now 16."

Ms Cox, along with real estate worker Bruce Fyfe, whose children are beyond teenage years, said the driving age could be put as high as 18.

University students, meanwhile, acknowledged many of their peers were - or had been - irresponsible drivers.

"I know a lot of 15-year-olds crashing cars. And they can't afford it - it's not like they have insurance," said 19-year-old Fynn Hollis.

The driving tests were too easy and many friends should not have passed, Mr Hollis said.

But banning alcohol for young drivers would make little difference, he said.

"There are actually ways around breath tests and people have caught on to that."

Abby Codwallader and Hannah Cipriah, both 19, agreed. "It probably won't work - they don't pay attention now, so why, when they change it, would they?" Ms Codwallader said.

Jordan Miers, 18, said he waited until 17 before getting a licence, and the delay would be good for all young people.

"My parents didn't think I was old enough to drive and I agreed with them. It's freaky to have little kids on the road."

But Dane MacGibbon, 19, and Kerry Moor, 20, said raising the driving age by a year would mean one extra year young people would find it hard to get jobs.

"If it gets raised to 16 it will pretty much kill a year off of building and those sorts of jobs ... Also for delivery boys. Heaps of people will lose jobs because of that," Mr MacGibbon said.

Southland farmer Rod Pemberton, a father of four from near Gore, said rural parents would be burdened when their 15-year-old children were banned from driving on public roads.

"In the country we're not blessed with public transport ... When my kids were younger it was always a relief [when they turned 15].

"I don't want to see the driving age raised because of the total inconvenience of it."

But Wanganui farmer Petrine Wickham said rural parents had to drive children around when they were 14 anyway, and the extra year would be worth it.

"I just think it's unbelievable ... there's nowhere in the world that children are driving as young as they are here."

Canadian visitors Lorne and Graham Reid agreed, saying they were shocked when told 15-year-olds were on New Zealand roads.