Driver's licence: Test in unfamiliar area

Reuben Jenkinson, 18, said he thought sitting the driving test outside their district put rural kids at a disadvantage.

When Waipawa teen Reuben Jenkinson sits his restricted driver's licence test these holidays, he will be doing so in an unfamiliar area.

While the 18-year-old had been practising driving in Waipukurau and Waipawa, he would be making the 45-minute trip to Dannevirke to sit his restricted test.

"It's a bit more rural, and has similar traffic to Waipuk and Waipawa."

But he won't be alone; his mum or dad will have to accompany him for the excursion, which would take at least three hours.

"It's a big hassle", Reuben said, "We don't go down there very often."

He passed his learner's licence at a Waipukurau centre six months ago, and had been practising driving for the past four months.

Reuben said he thought sitting the test in Napier or Hastings would put youth from rural areas at a disadvantage, as those areas had more traffic than they were used to.

"It'd be different in everybody's case, but once I've got my restricted I won't be going out of the district much anyway."

He also said it was harder to practise driving in urban areas as someone else had to come along.

He had an agreement with his parents that they would pay for the first test, but he would have to pay if he failed.

Reuben said he'd be annoyed if he failed not only due to the cost for him, but because he would have to sit the test again.