Drivers from overseas should be put through stringent testing before they are given a licence to drive on New Zealand roads, a Far North councillor says.
The call comes from Far North District Councillor Colin Kitchen, who is a senior Northland firefighter and has attended hundreds of car crashes on the region's roads, including those involving overseas motorists.
He also wants bold keep left signs on the side of the road to remind foreign drivers who are used to driving on the opposite side of the road.
"This could be a step in the right direction to reducing the trauma on our roads," Mr Kitchen said.
"All these crashes have a traumatic effect on volunteers who are going out there and picking up the carnage."
He suggested a one-day induction course be mandatory before overseas drivers got behind the wheel in New Zealand.
Northland's roads were particularly challenging and visitors should be warned of the dangers.
"They (the roads) are windy and much narrower than other places. Plus there are plenty of gravel roads they might come across and have absolutely no experience with."
Automobile Association spokesman Mike Noon said international drivers were able to drive using their own licences or international driving permits.
Under current laws international drivers were required to sit a test after 12 months and even then only those from certain countries were tested.
He said it was impracticable to have every driver sit a test before they hit the road.
"New Zealand has a reciprocal agreement with plenty of countries around the world and they don't have to sit tests before they drive," Mr Noon said.
Nationally over the past 10 years Ministry of Transport statistics show there were 47 accidents where foreign drivers were included as a factor.
This year in Northland three foreigners have died in two separate crashes.
Swedish tourists Emelie Jenny Green and Theresia Andrea Johansson, both aged 20, died in a car crash on February 28 this year on the Brynderwyn Hills.
The pair were heading south on State Highway 1 when they were going through a right-hand corner which had a 65km/h advisory speed sign in place.
Their Nissan Sunny car spun a couple of times before crossing the centre-line into the path of a north-bound Holden Commodore.
In October a French tourist was discovered by a passing motorist in a car partially submerged in a river near Broadwood, 48km south-east of Kaitaia.
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