Media Release 23 March 2012

Driving skills will be put to the test

The way drivers handle changes to the give way rule later this week will be a good indicator of whether there has been any improvement to New Zealand driver’s overall skills according to V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy.

“Drivers will need to be alert to the changes; they’re relatively straightforward and easy to understand, and should be manageable provided commonsense and patience are exercised. Unfortunately some New Zealand drivers struggle with even the basic skills, so this will be a testing time, for everyone on the road”, says Murphy.

Becoming familiar with the new rules is the key to coping with changes that are more logical than the rules they replace and are already in place in many parts of the world. The publicity campaign that has started recently is well timed, and explains the changes as simply as possible, thus increasing the likelihood that drivers will understand them.

“New Zealanders tend to over-rate their driving skills, and too many do nothing to increase their skills. Part of the new thrust for those getting their license is to encourage 120 hours of supervised driving, and that can only be a good thing”, he says.

Murphy, who speaks to students across the country about becoming safer drivers as part of his ‘MTA Murph in Schools’ programme, believes that by encouraging new drivers to get additional supervision, coupled with the increased challenge of the new restricted driving test, will produce better drivers.

While much has been made of the fact that pass rates have halved, New Zealand’s road safety record is evidence that drivers need to have the greater levels of skill and judgement than has been the case.

Murphy adds, “Coping with the new give way rules will be a good indicator of where we are up to. Government’s moves to make sure younger drivers meet a higher standard are a good step in the right direction. The road toll is currently around 10 percent ahead of last year’s, and it would be a tragedy if through lack of understanding, and a failure to prepare, that we were to add to that.”

ENDS

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