Probationary Licences For Drivers Supported

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30610, 28 November 1964, Page 28

Probationary Licences For Drivers Supported

The South Island Motor Union yesterday decided to support the principle of issuing probationary, driver’s licences to new applicants for licences. It referred the question to the Joint Standing Committee of North and South Island Motor Unions for further consideration with a view to putting submissions before the Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine). Mr R. O. Talbot (Otago) told the meeting that the Road Safety Council was reported to be opposed to probationary licences. It was hard to get at the reasoning behind that, said Mr C. H. Harvey (Southland). “I think there’s a lot of merit in it,” he said. “We are striving for a higher standard of driving and the root of all our troubles lies with the drivers.”

"r Harvey said it was possible that the machinery could be invoked for a closer watch on new drivers. Probationary licences for 12 months would provide such a check. But the Commissioner of Transport had not been enthusiastic about it at any time.

Mr D. H. Campbell (North Otago) said the Transport Department had a great deal of Statistical information available, so perhaps the accident statistics had shown that most accidents could not be related to new drivers.

Mr Campbell said new drivers had a consciousness of their lack of experience, and drove with care. Driving became an automatic process, and perhaps more accidents happened with drivers who were technically more experienced.

On the statistics, said Mr Harvey, there was not. evidence that probationary licences would achieve any real improvement in the accident rate, but that was a matter of opinion. It must be recognised that road conditions were chang-

ing and demands on drivers were increasing. “We’ve got to keep one jump ahead,” he said.

The president (Mr W. R. Marlyn) said that if he was a probationary driver he was sure he would try hard to be a good driver, and he would hate to be pulled up. Holding a man to a probationary licence for three years would make him a better driver for life.

Mr C. A. Fisher (Southland) said Australian insurance statistics showed that the 17 years to 20 years group of drivers had four times as many accidents as others. Contrary to popular belief, women drivers were easily the safest of the lot. Mr J. McMahon (Nelson) said the indications were definitely that young persons had a higher accident rate, and insurance companies had imposed a franchise on drivers up to the age of 21. Mr E. R. Casbolt (Canterbury) said that about onethird of all New Zealand motor accidents occurred in the 16-24 years age group. Of them, most rolled their cars, which pointed to inexperience.

Mr Casbolt said that many years ago the motor-cycle accident rate was so high that sales of motor-cycles declined steeply. But after learner-plates were introduced the accident rate declined. The statistics would show that, and he could not see why the Road Safety Council had disapproved the probationary licence idea. Mr T. E. V. Turpin, a vicepresident, said both motor unions had agreed on probationary licences in principle.