Bay of Plenty has the highest rate of failed restricted driver licence tests in New Zealand

Driving instructor Rob Ball says the test needs to be strict and follow the law. Photo / Andrew Warner

The Bay of Plenty has the highest rate of restricted driving test failures in New Zealand with more than half of tests not passed, new data reveals.

Mums of two local teens who failed the practical test multiple times say the process made their young drivers lose confidence and cost hundreds of dollars for retests and lessons, with one believing roadworks played a role.

A driving instructor says students in the region need to drive at a “much higher level” than those elsewhere, while another says beginner drivers face high expectations and many experienced drivers may fail if they retook the test today.

Driver Licence Register data supplied by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency showed the Bay of Plenty region had the highest fail rate of Class 1 restricted tests in 2022, with 51.6 per cent of practical examinations failed, or 4798 tests.

This was followed by Auckland at 47.9 per cent (24,645), while West Coast (227) had the lowest fail rate at 27 per cent.

Bay of Plenty also topped the list in 2021, with Auckland and Wellington close behind and Southland the lowest.

The restricted test is the second of three steps in the New Zealand Class 1 — car or light vehicle — licence process and can be taken from age 16½ with a current learner’s licence at least six months old, according to NZTA.

Passing this first practical exam gives drivers the freedom to hit the streets alone for the first time — between 5am and 10pm — as they gain experience to take their full licence test.

The NZTA data, provided under the Official Information Act, showed the failure rate for restricted tests was generally higher than the other two test stages.

A Tauranga mother, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said her son failed his restricted test four times before passing. The tests, taken over five months to March, cost her nearly $500 and she also paid for 10 driving lessons.

She believed the process was “demoralising” and her son had lost confidence in his driving ability.

The mother said she believed the Cameron Rd testing route had “too much orange” from roadworks making it extra difficult for the test to be completed efficiently.

She said test situations caused stress for some people and believed it did not evaluate the “bigger picture” of how a person drives.

Another Bay of Plenty mother said her 17-year-old failed three times in two weeks this year, but was set to have another go.

She said he received a critical error during one exam due to not putting the vehicle’s indicator back on after it automatically turned off when parallel parking.

She said the cost of resitting tests and seeing her son lose confidence on the road was “disheartening”. It had also limited his ability to get to and from his part-time job.

AA driving instructor Rob Ball said the law is the only measurement testing officers have. Photo / Andrew Warner

Former Rotorua police officer and now AA driving instructor Rob Ball said the test needed to be strict and follow the law.

He believed the expectations of drivers were much higher today with stricter rules compared with when he was a teenager, and he believed many fully licensed drivers would fail the test today due to becoming “lazy” with driving.

He said often parents sit in the back of his car during lessons with his students and were shocked at the high level of driving required for the test.

He said not checking mirrors or blind spots was a common reason for failing and beginner drivers could often pick up these “bad habits” from their parents.

Blaming a testing officer for a failure, however, would be like blaming the referee in sports, he said.

Tauranga driving instructor of seven years Andy Brown said he would never recommend people go to another town to complete a driving test, but understood some people may choose to do this.

He believed drivers in the Bay of Plenty had to drive at a “much higher level” than elsewhere.

He said smaller towns such as Morrinsville, which had only “one main street and no roadworks”, may have higher pass rates compared with bigger towns or cities due to fewer hazards, vehicles and distractions.

Roadworks in Tauranga were also causing “a lot of headaches” for learner drivers and those taking practical tests, Brown said.

The volume of trucks on the road, given Tauranga’s busy port, made it easy for driving tests to turn to “custard”.

Brown said most lessons in the region would have students “sandwiched between trucks”, which was difficult for learners.

He believed people learning to drive these days generally had better driving skills, having to “deal and adapt” with higher traffic density and larger vehicles on the road.

A Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ) spokesperson said the company was contracted by Waka Kotahi to administer driver licence testing.

They said pass rates of driver tests could fluctuate and the most important aspect to remember was road safety.

Speaking generally about cases of young drivers repeatedly failing, the agency said testing officers provided “specific feedback” to individuals.

The most common reasons for failing a practical driving test included speeding, not giving way, not stopping at a stop sign, and not completing head checks and mirrors when required.

Tauranga City Council director of transport Brendan Bisley said the council did its best to advise of upcoming roadworks and closures so road users could plan their journeys accordingly.

General manager of Kaitiaki o Ara Students Against Dangerous Driving (Sadd) Donna Govorko said it was extremely important for students to learn to drive from a good driver with knowledge on how to become a safe driver.

“We encourage learner drivers to receive lessons from professional driving instructors to ensure they start their driving journey right.”

Driving Change New Zealand national co-ordinator Wendy Robertson said many drivers failed or made errors due to nerves despite doing a mock test “perfectly” with a driving instructor beforehand.

Robertson understood the top reasons for failing included not stopping at stop signs and speeding through low-speed roadworks.

The top driving test fails

The most common reasons for failing a practical driver test are:

• Failing to give way to traffic
• Travelling 10km/h over the speed limit
• Failing to stop at a stop sign
• No head check and mirror check when required

Source: VTNZ

Michaela Pointon is an NZME reporter based in the Bay of Plenty and was formerly a feature writer.