Raising the Driving Age
AUTHOR: Peter Dunne
My Bill to increase the driver's licence age is likely to come before Parliament next week. The Bill raises the age at which one can obtain a learner licence from 15 to 16 years, and the minimum period one can hold a learner licence from 6 months to one year, but does not change the 18 month minimum period for holding a provisional licence. this means that the earliest age a driver can obtain a full licence will raise from 17 years at present to 18.5 years.
Support for my proposal has been widespread as the attached article from the Waikato Times shows. I am also expecting a TVNZ poll on the issue to be released next week, possibly the evening before the Bill is debated by Parliament.