Driving age 15 to 16

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SteveON

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#59942 15-Apr-2010 12:25

I see that the driving age laws will be changing if thegovernment get's their way.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3585239/Cabinet-approves-raising-of-driving-age

Do you think this is fair or not?
Personally I believe for a country of our size and type of roads; we should spend time looking at better drivers education in conjunction with the licence process. Within 6 months a Learner can drive by themselves on our roads.

They state that a learner only has to have 50 hours of supervised training, but what does this mean? In the current legislation that is 6 months which really does not say much... The driver may only had 10 hours training in 6 months.

Not to mention mandating 3rd party insurance should be implemented.

freitasm

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#318745 15-Apr-2010 12:35

I would say up the age to 18 years old - 17 the least.

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johnr

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#318757 15-Apr-2010 12:46

Driving age should be put up to 16 - 17

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NonprayingMantis

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#318764 15-Apr-2010 12:55

difficuklt because of our high numbers of rural population, coupled with lack of decent public transport, means that kids aged 15-17 really need to be able to drive.

Personally I think the 15 year old limit is fine, but only if coupled with MUCH stricter regulations around training required etc, as well as stricter punishments for serious transgressions (drink driving, causing injury, street racing etc)

3rd arty shoudl also be mandatory, but regulated to stop the price going sky high for other road users.

ZollyMonsta

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#318765 15-Apr-2010 12:56

freitasm: I would say up the age to 18 years old - 17 the least.

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jsauni

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#318767 15-Apr-2010 12:57

I don't see how age has anything to do with it. It's the amount of training and experience on the road that'll make the most difference.

jsauni

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#318769 15-Apr-2010 12:58

3rd arty shoudl also be mandatory, but regulated to stop the price going sky high for other road users.

Agreed

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SteveON

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#318774 15-Apr-2010 13:09

I know this is a video from Top Gear, but maybe we could look at implementing some of the rules they do in Finland... Not saying we should get into rally, but towards the middle of the clip is interesting.

Video won't embed using html =[

sarg

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#318779 15-Apr-2010 13:16

I believe 18 more approriate minimum driving age given the skill set needed to multi task in the driving environment

that would be an ecumenical matter

Asmodeus

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#318817 15-Apr-2010 14:32

The testing / training needs to be a lot more intensive.

Not just for new drivers either, there's about 500,000 morons in auckland alone who could do with a retest...

chiefie

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#318830 15-Apr-2010 14:47

Age to 18, mandatory 3rd party regulated insurance and capping on the CC of the vehicle to primarily used by the licence holder.

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Handsomedan

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#318841 15-Apr-2010 14:58

When I think back to being 15, newly licenced (I was licenced in the days when you didn't have the "staged" approach - you went from nothing to DRIVER in one test) and impossibly invincible, I get quite scared.

At on e stage, I had mum and dad's car (an Austin Maxi) filled with 14 kids, and we drove from one Nth Shore Beach to another, along main roads and all at re;atively "safe" speeds, but the brakes were non-existent, due to the nose being in the air (virtually) and my vision was somewhat impaired due to the bodies in the car...I didn't see any danger at all in the situation at the time.

At 17 I would've been at least a little more aware of the danger. At 15 I was a sillly kid.

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#318885 15-Apr-2010 15:45

I think that age has little to do with driving ability, I think this is just a knee jerk reaction to the problem of poor driver training.

I would like to see it follow the rules in Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver%27s_licence_in_Australia)

Stronger rules regarding type of vehicle and logging driving time. I do like Finland's driving setup though!

Growing up in a rural environment, having a car was a god send to be able to get to after school activities (lived 30min one way drive from school) Townies have it easier with taxis and bus services that run all day and evening.

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#318932 15-Apr-2010 16:43

New driver education/traiing plays more of a role than age.

You only have to look at NSW for an example, they have achieved good reductions since 2003 without changing the age (it's was already 17 over there for quite some time).

nickb800

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#318967 15-Apr-2010 17:24

I think age is not the issue - its the time spent driving supervised. Driving at age 15,16,17 with an experienced driver in the front seat is fine. Whens the last time you heard of a serious car crash involving a 16y/o with their mum sitting in the front seat? Its only when they go out on their own or with the mates that the crashes happen.
I think its better to learn to drive at 15-17 as teens will have supportive parents teaching them. If they wait to 18 they will likely have left home and it will be inexperienced friends or impatient boyfriends/girlfriends teaching them instead.