Young drivers sitting their restricted and full licences can expect tougher and longer tests as new rules come into force from today.

The test to gain a restricted licence will now take one hour and 45 minutes and in more challenging environments of heavy traffic and multi-lane roads.

The test to gain a full licence will now take 30 minutes.

NZ Transport Agency chief executive Geoff Dangerfield says the new restricted test requires a more complex driving environment, including minimum levels of traffic, multiple lanes and merge lanes within a 60-80km/h speed zone.

'The new testing routes have been thoroughly investigated and carefully developed in order to ensure that a consistently high standard is applied across the country,” says Geoff.

Crash statistics show more than 700 New Zealand teenagers died in road crashes in the past decade, giving the country the highest road death rate in the OECD for 16-17-year-olds and the fourth highest road death rate for 18-20-year-olds.

Geoff says the new test is designed to reduce the crash rate amongst young drivers by increasing the number of supervised drive hours required to pass the test.

'The more experience that drivers gain in the learner licensing phase the less likely they are to crash when they begin driving alone.

'We are doing young people no favours with a ‘once over lightly' approach.”

At present learner drivers are estimated to complete up to 50 hours of supervised driving before going solo, but under new rules drivers will now be required to complete up to 120 hours of supervised practice to pass.

Research shows young drivers who complete 120 hours of supervised practice on their learner licence have a solo-driving crash rate 40 per cent lower than those who only complete 50 hours.

Geoff says drivers should not expect to pass the new test unless they put in that amount of preparation.

'Driving down to the shops and back simply isn't enough; 120 hours may seem like a lot, but over a year it works out at just over two hours a week.

'That's a small investment to make for reducing the chances of your son or daughter being involved in a crash.”

Geoff is urging drivers to wait until they are properly prepared before booking an appointment to sit the new test.

For the next two months NZTA will waive the fee for cancelling or rescheduling tests for learner drivers who have already booked appointments to sit the test if they feel they need more time due to the tougher test.

Changes to motorcycle restricted tests take effect in October 2012.