Denis O’Rourke MP

NZ First Spokesperson for Transport
29 NOVEMBER 2016

Government’s Tourist Driving Campaign Pathetic – NZ First

The government’s campaign of billboards, posters, digital advertising and social media to get tourists to drive safely this summer falls far short of what is required, says New Zealand First Transport spokesperson Denis O’Rourke.

“What good are signs and social media when you have an incompetent driver behind the wheel?

“The New Zealand public must know that drivers who come here from overseas are up to standard.

“That is why New Zealand First is calling for the introduction of our Land Transport (Tourist Driver Rental Vehicle) Amendment Bill.’

“Under the bill, rental companies will be responsible for informing visitors of best driving practice according to the NZ Road Code.

“If they do not do this and the driver is involved in a crash for which he or she is at fault, the rental company will be liable.

“The bill makes other requirements and would limit overseas drivers to only hiring vehicles with safety technology such as emergency braking.

“In 2015, drivers with an overseas licence were involved in 19 fatal crashes and were at fault in 16 of them. They were in 101 serious injury crashes and at fault in 79 and they were in 543 minor injury crashes and at fault in 390.

“Just relying on posters, billboards and social media will be totally ineffectual and to make matters worse, the government’s campaign is focussed only on Otago, Southland and the West Coast of the South Island.

“What about the rest of the country?” Mr O’Rourke says.

ENDS

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