Government tourist accident response “too little, too late”

The government’s response to the tourist accident crisis is “too little, too late,” says the car review website dogandlemon.com.

Editor Clive Matthew-Wilson says:

“While it’s refreshing that the government is now listening to expert advice and fixing some of the worst roads that kill tourists, the fact remains that the government hasn’t really addressed many major issues.”

“For example, the government is finally agreeing to sort out poorly signed roads and install rumble strips, but there will be no new median barriers to prevent head-on collisions, no strategy to remove slippery gravel from the side of the roads, no strategy to move the road lines inwards to lessen the chance of drivers drifting off the road.”

“It’s not just our roads that are killing tourists. “The New Zealand rental vehicle fleet is one of the oldest in the developed world. Whereas British rental cars are typically less than one year old[1], some New Zealand rental cars are over two decades old, with an average age of 13.5 years.”

Matthew-Wilson has repeatedly called for tourist drivers to be banned from driving vehicles within 24 hours of arriving in this country.

“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.

“The government’s excuse that a computer-based competency test would breach our obligations under the International Driver’s Licence treaty is just more nonsense. This isn’t a test aimed at people carrying an international driver’s licence: it’s a safety test that should to be passed by anyone of any age, nationality or race before they could rent a car.”

“It’s also clear the government doesn't really understand what I mean by an interactive competency test: Here's a rather simple, mechanical version of what I have in mind. This test was developed to evaluate London bus drivers in the 1930s and was so successful that it was still in use by the RAF in the early 21st century. Computer students at an Auckland college are currently working on an electronic version.”

“Electronic stability control needs to be mandatory on rental vehicles. Fatal accidents that begin with a loss of control are common on vehicles that don’t have stability control. Electronic stability control reduces your chances of a fatal collision by up to 56%. It’s particularly effective at preventing the sort of accidents that tourists frequently have after drifting into gravel at the side of the road.”

“Tourists come here for the holiday of a lifetime. Instead, an increasing number are ending up dead or injured. It is shameful that the government has promoted New Zealand as a tourist destination without taking the steps to make sure that the tourists can travel safely when they get here."

ends

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