Working to help the 'forgotten' group

Community mentor Pat Magill says the current driver licensing system is "mickey mouse". Photo / Duncan Brown

Today is the fifth day of our Licence to Drive series in which we investigate why youth are struggling to get licences, and what our leaders are doing about it

Community mentor Pat Magill says the current driver licensing system is "mickey mouse".

He's not alone, Napier Labour MP, Stuart Nash and Howard League literacy and licence co-ordinator Anne Brown both support a Hawke's Bay based programme.

The current system worked only for some people, and Mrs Brown said people who were not white middle class were forgotten.

"There's something wrong with our system," she said.

"It's much, much harder if you don't have parents that can take you out driving or if you don't have a working car.

"It's also very different if you've left school at 13."

Many first-time offenders found themselves facing charges for driving without a licence.

This often triggered the start of a longer string of court appearances, job loss and even jail time.

Mr Nash said people "get disqualified once and they get a fine, they get disqualified a second time because they haven't paid the fine or they haven't got their licence, third time they end up in jail".

Mr Magill, who had been going to court every Wednesday since 1975, said many of the offenders could have been helped.

He also believed regional based driver licensing programmes to suit residents' needs would be more appropriate.

The Howard League started two years ago to provide resources for the "forgotten" group so they too could drive legally. It is also affiliated with the East Coast Better Public Service Driver Licence Project (ECBPSDLP) which operated in the local prison to re-licence young driver offenders.

Both initiatives provided tutoring, mock tests and extra support to those who have learning difficulties which was a major reason why offenders do not bother with a licence.

Young people under 25 were the target group, men were considered most vulnerable and made up high numbers of prison offenders.

The Howard League and ECBPSDLP both subsidise testing to make them more accessible to those who were not in a position to pay.

Mr Nash said this could save the country lots of money if it stopped people from offending in the first place.

"There's a proactive need to really engage with these young fellas and make sure that they do get their licence."

Both programmes had shown positive results over its two years, Hawke's Bay regional prison director George Massingham said many people go into employment once they are back on the road.

"Having a licence helps the men with their reintegration and employment prospects.

" It also benefits their families and the community as a whole.

"The sense of elation and pride the men have when they walk out of the testing room is priceless."

The project is funded by NZTA and focused on people in Central Hawke's Bay, Hastings, Napier and Wairoa.