Young, reckless need help: Murphy

Greg Murphy. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Road users aged 17-25 account for about 12 per cent of the New Zealand population - but 25 per cent of crash fatalities.

Young men on a restricted licence are seven times more likely to crash than men aged 45-49. Young women are six times more likely to stick the car into the trees than women aged 45-49.

The statistics support research in Britain that shows 20 per cent of new drivers have a crash within a year of getting their licence.

Britain's legal driving age is 17; New Zealand's is 15. Britain is looking at increasing it to 18; New Zealand to 16.

The NZ Government is borrowing part of its new Safer Journeys package from the Victoria state model in Australia. Victoria's legal driving age is 18. It's 17 in the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and Tasmania. South Australia is 16.

The only country with a lower legal driving age than New Zealand's is Ethiopia, at 14. Ethiopia doesn't have New Zealand's per capita car numbers - but it has the highest rate of fatalities per vehicle in the world.

After all is said and done, one thing remains: young New Zealanders are pretty much taught only enough to pass their driving licence - they aren't taught how to drive.

Racing driver and road safety advocate Greg Murphy was pleased with the Safer Journeys strategy, especially the emphasis on younger drivers.

"The statistics show the young are our most vulnerable drivers and passengers," he said.

"Our track record is very poor by international standards, so it's great to see that someone with the power to do something about it actually is."

Murphy said raising the driving age from 15 to 16 was an obvious place to start.

"Young people's decision-making ability is not fully developed at 15, and so giving them this extra time to improve this aspect of their driving skills can only be a good move.

"Ensuring they all get the right training will be even better."