The car review website dogandlemon.com report 'Driven to Distraction' researched and published by Matthew Wilson (www.dogandlemon.com) should be adopted and implemented in full by the government, says New Zealand First.

'New Zealand First agrees with Mr Wilson that the government has failed to address the serious and worsening problem of tourist drivers producing a very high rate of serious road accidents,” says Transport Spokesperson Denis O'Rourke.

'Tourists are still able to fly in after a 28 hour flight, rent a car and drive without any checks or restrictions.

'Many road accidents involving tourists would be avoided after a good night's sleep, and we would have much safer tourists drivers if they had a basic degree of training — such as which side of the road to drive on and how to avoid crossing the centre-line.

'Many simply lack either the awareness or skills to drive safely here, and even a little training would go a long way.

'To these ends New Zealand First calls on the government to adopt and implement Matthew-Wilson's plan to prevent tourist accidents:

1. Restrictions on the renting of vehicles to tourists within 24 hours of arrival from overseas.


2. An interactive, computer-based competency assessment that must be completed before a vehicle can be rented or purchased.
3. A register of foreign drivers operating vehicles in New Zealand.

a) the widespread modification of road signage

b) repositioning of marker lines for improved clarity

c) elimination of gravel on the verges of sealed arterial and popular tourist roads

d) rumble strips on both sides of each lane to alert drivers

e) improvements at all major intersections, including improved directional signage

5. Insert a new requirement in the Land Transport Operator Licensing Rule, restricting rental vehicles to those compliant with 2007 vehicle exhaust emissions, unless exempted, to get the sloppy jalopy rentals off the road.

'If we get the unsafe rentals off the road, we can then move on restricting foreign licensed drivers to vehicles equipped with enhanced safety aids like Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking,” Mr O'Rourke said.