Government inaction driving tourist road toll, says campaigner

A prominent road safety campaigner has accused the government of “sitting on its hands while innocent people die needlessly.”

Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com, says:

“Many of the worst accidents in the last few months could have been easily prevented if the government had acted.

“The government is pretending to address the problem with its Visiting Drivers Signature Project. In reality, however, most of the government’s strategies aren’t working and won’t work. It’s time for action.”

“Many New Zealand rural roads are like a staircase without a handrail: you make a mistake and there’s a high chance of getting hurt.”

“There is no question that centre median barriers prevent exactly the sort of head-on collision that tourists are frequently involved in. Yet these vital safety features, which cost very little, are missing from some of the most dangerous roads in the country.”

“We also need to make it harder for bad drivers to get behind the wheel of a car.”

Matthew-Wilson gave the example of Hong Kong national Shu Na Lo, 27, who recently killed his mother and seriously injured his sister after falling asleep behind the wheel of a rental car he had hired directly after arriving from a flight from Melbourne on September 30.

Matthew-Wilson believes there needs to be a clear ban on tourists driving vehicles for 24 hours after they arrive.

“Driving tired is as dangerous as driving drunk. Rental car firms would not be allowed to rent a car to a drunk driver, but are allowed to rent a car to a traveller who’s liable to fall asleep and kill someone. This is just wrong.”

Matthew-Wilson also believes all drivers – including New Zealanders – should pass a simple, computer-based competency test before being allowed to rent vehicles.

“A similar test, developed to evaluate London bus drivers in the 1930s, was so successful that it was still in use by the RAF in the early 21st century. The computer students at an Auckland college are currently working on an electronic version.”

"Tourist accidents make up about a quarter of the South Island road toll, but the government is doing little more than handing out stickers saying 'drive safely'. This lack of real action by the government is just shameful.”

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