John MacDonald: I'm not anti international drivers, but...

Canterbury Mornings with John MacDonald

There are a lot of weird things in the world, but one of the weirdest would have to be the international drivers licence.

You know, you’re licensed to drive in one country, but a little bit of paper lets you drive in any country. It doesn’t matter that you know next to nothing about the road rules or the driving conditions.

But tell that to the Government which obviously doesn’t find international licences as weird as I do.

I find them weird. I don't like them. And, before you accuse me of being a hypocrite - I’ll admit that I am a hypocrite because I’ve used them before when I’ve gone overseas.

But ever since I got my first international licence, I’ve thought that it’s crazy that you can drive anywhere without being tested or trained on local rules and driving conditions. Which is why I think the Government’s latest move to reduce waiting times for practical driving tests is just crazy.

It’s going to extend the period someone from overseas can drive on an international licence in New Zealand from 12 months to 18 months to try and reduce the waiting times for practical driving tests because the average wait time is over a month.

Apparently, the way things have been, the demand from international drivers wanting to get their New Zealand licence has been going through the roof.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown says there are tens of thousands of international drivers wanting to get their New Zealand licences. Or licence conversions, as they’re known. Which has meant that the queues and waiting times have been getting longer.

So the Government wants to take some of the international drivers out of the queue so local drivers can do their practical tests sooner.

Simeon Brown says they’re hiring more trainers and testers. But they still need to do more, and this is one. But I think it’s a terrible idea and I’m not alone.

Someone who is a testing officer got in touch to say they think it’s a crazy idea too.

This person says, from what they see, international drivers wanting to convert their licences to New Zealand licences are failing their practical driving tests —on average— six times, before they pass.

This person says that, instead of letting them drive here on international licences longer, the Government should be doing the opposite and limiting them to three months maximum before they have to convert to a New Zealand licence.

That would do nothing to fix the problem the Government’s trying to fix but I don’t care about that.

Because what should be the priority here? Helping people get their licences quicker or keeping people safe on the road?

That’s a no-brainer question. The priority has to be keeping people safe on the road.

And that isn’t going to happen by letting international drivers get off a plane, get behind the wheel of a vehicle and cruise around the place for six months longer than they’re allowed to now before being tested.

I’m not anti international drivers. As I said at the start, I’ve held international licences before. I’ve taken advantage of something that I actually think is crazy.

But I am definitely anti anything that is going to mean untested drivers driving on our roads longer than they do now.

I don't care how long it takes people to get their licence if the alternative is what the Government has come up with today.

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