My step-son is 17 years old and has failed for the third time his restricted driving licence test. In the last two instances he has been failed on extremely minor indiscretions that are in dispute between him and the testing officer. A google search reveals concerns we are experiencing are being raised up and down the country – even by Police.
I appreciate that the intention of the tighter testing regime is to reduce the teen road toll. But evidence shows that teen drivers are most at-risk when they break conditions of their restricted licences: ie driving outside permitted hours; driving with friends (that are not qualified drivers); and driving after drinking alcohol. None of these risk factors are addressed through the testing regime.
Young people are subjected to humiliating failures on nit-picky assessments that only serve to ‘undermine' their confidence. Even driving instructors are at a loss to support their most competent pupils through the process. Also, $88 per test is not cheap, especially when you have to pay again and again for minor infringements. The teen road toll will not be reduced by this testing regime.

M Mills, Whakamarama.