Teen driver broke all the rules

His son was killed by a teen driver who broke every rule. Now a grieving dad wants the drinking age raised - and his plea comes as the Government gives its strongest signal yet of major changes to driving and liquor laws.

Gerald Fluerty lost his son Ezra, 19, in an accident that "had all the ingredients for disaster".

"I think these young people, at 18, just don't have the ability to make the right decision on their own."

Driver Maia Thorby, 18, struck a power pole while speeding on a learner licence in a car with no warrant or registration. He was four times the legal alcohol limit and had been smoking cannabis.

On Friday, Thorby pleaded guilty to Ezra's manslaughter and excess breath alcohol causing injury to two other teens. Thorby suffered only minor injuries.

The mother of one of the seriously injured teens - Keith Donald's mother Sharyn - said she also wanted changes to laws governing drinking and driving.

Keith had a broken hand, knuckle and femur and had a rod inserted into his leg. He also had extensive facial injuries, breaking bones from his forehead to his mouth, and underwent facial reconstructive surgery.

Donald said she wanted to see the drinking age increased and for young drivers to get more education before they took to the roads on their own.

"They also need to be taught how to drink in moderation."

Thorby's mother Dale said he was not ready to talk about the crash yesterday. "He still has a lot to go through. We just want to go through this with our son."

The parents' pleas came as government ministers signalled huge changes to the way New Zealanders drink - and drive.

But even though Transport Minister Steven Joyce and Justice Minister Simon Power have the ability to drive the changes, both refused to voice their own opinion on the drinking age.

Power said it was highly likely the Sale of Liquor Act would be rewritten to tighten the sale of alcohol - and who can get it.

The decision would follow a Law Commission review into liquor reform - but Power hoped the changes would be put in place next year.

He said Parliament would probably want to review the drinking age and there was a possibility an age "split" would occur. Changes could see 18-year-olds allowed to buy alcohol at on-licence premises, such as pubs, but not at bottle stores and supermarkets until age 20.

The availability of liquor and the number of licences given out would also be reviewed.

Joyce said yesterday he had proposed a plan to raise the age teens could get their licence from 15 to 16 or 17. He also wanted to extend the learner licence period to a year.

It was also possible young drivers could graduate to a full licence sooner if they had professional driving lessons.

Joyce hoped to have a package before Cabinet in March and changes in place by September.

Gerald Fluerty said Thorby's early guilty plea was a relief and he hoped other teens would learn from the tragedy.

Gerald and his family forgave Thorby the day after Ezra's funeral. "We had a get-together with Maia and his mum and dad and we forgave him right there.

"He's thrown himself not just before the court but before us as a family. That says to us he's accepted what he's done.

Thorby will be sentenced in February.

"We'll take him into our family as a son and say come to us if you need us."