Bad foreign drivers stay on the road

A coroner fears there will be more fatal accidents involving incompetent overseas drivers if a loophole in licensing laws is not closed.

Police giving evidence at an inquest in Huntly into the deaths of two Asian students, killed in a head-on smash in 2003, said the driving level of some foreigners was below standard and a loophole was allowing overseas drivers who failed New Zealand driving tests free rein on the country's roads.

Yuan Zhang, 20, and his girlfriend Shuang Yang, 19, were killed on October 17, 2003, when the Mitsubishi Diamante Mr Zhang was driving crossed the centre line on passing lanes at Taupiri near Huntly and collided with a light truck.

Mr Zhang was using a Chinese licence.

Constable Neale Williams said foreigners were allowed to drive for one year on New Zealand roads using their overseas licence but police found it almost impossible on the roadside to find out how long someone had been in the country.

The same 12-month law applies to New Zealanders driving overseas.

Mr Williams said that in the case of many Asian drivers police had no idea what tests they had to sit to get their foreign licence in the first place.

It was also revealed that foreigners can sit the theory or practical tests for a New Zealand licence and if they fail, but have been in the country less than a year, they can continue driving.

Huntly coroner Bob McDermott said that until the issue was resolved it was likely there would be more accidents with tragic consequences.

"We could have a number of overseas licensed people driving within New Zealand that are incompetent."

Mr Williams said there was nothing stopping Asian students studying for 10 months in New Zealand using their overseas licence, going home for a few months then returning still using their overseas licence.

"In my view I would have to say that the level of driving of some overseas people is well below the standard."

Huntly police traffic sergeant Mark Toomey said he was speaking to Land Transport New Zealand about the problem.

He said the laws meant foreigners could fail tests to get a New Zealand licence but keep driving.

"They may not be up to standard to drive on our roads but they can continue to drive on our roads."

Mr Toomey said that in the case of Mr Zhang it was not known if incompetence or inattention had caused the crash, but police were aware of numerous other cases where the driving standard of foreigners was substandard.

Land Transport New Zealand spokesman Andy Knackstedt said: "The long and the short of it is, it is something that we are aware of and we have been aware of for some time; it's a bit of an anomaly."

He said proposed changes in the Driver Licensing Amendment Rule were expected to be signed off in July but these did not cover the 12-month grace period or address police concerns that officers could not tell how long a person had been in New Zealand.

Among the changes is a requirement for foreigners holding a non-English licence to carry a translation.

Mr Knackstedt said Land Transport New Zealand had proposed that under new rules a person applying for a New Zealand licence would have to hand over his or her overseas licence, which would have a hole punched through it.

But countries consulted had objected because the licence was legally their property.

"It's a difficult one."