Drivers Licence Restrictions

Not sure if the Sylvia that killed the little boy had a turbo...

In Australia on your restricted licences (there are two stages), you have vehicle restrictions, high powered vehicles, such as V8s, Turbos... are restricted to full licence holders.

To get your full licence here, it takes 4 years (I think) and you can start you licences at 16.

This means people under 20 are legally unable to drive high powered vehicles, the boy racer scene here on the Gold Coast is minimal (which is amazing for a city full of posers).

On your restricted licences here you can carry passengers and drive at night (I think), there is just a no-drinking rule and the vehicle restrictions.

Rather than raise New Zealands driving age, would vehicle restrictions and a more drawn out licencing periods work?

(another reason the boy racer scene here is small is the lack of Jap imports due to importing laws)

You can't carry passengers on a restricted license here (NZ), unless they are your legal spouse, child or a fully licensed driver.

There is a 10:00pm curfew on restricted drivers, but you can get an exemption if you need to work later.

I'm not sure how long it takes to get your full license here, but it's nothing like 4 years. The least amount of time you can be on a restricted license is 6 months and you must have passed a defensive driving course to get that.

I agree that limitations on the kind of vehicle you are allowed to drive would help bring down the road toll.

83T'na wrote:You can't carry passengers on a restricted license here (NZ), unless they are your legal spouse, child or a fully licensed driver.

There is a 10:00pm curfew on restricted drivers, but you can get an exemption if you need to work later.

I'm not sure how long it takes to get your full license here, but it's nothing like 4 years. The least amount of time you can be on a restricted license is 6 months and you must have passed a defensive driving course to get that.

I agree that limitations on the kind of vehicle you are allowed to drive would help bring down the road toll.

Yep, I know all that about the NZ restrictions. I don't mind them, but if they were to draw out the licencing period they would need to review them as they could be a real pain.

83T'na wrote:You can't carry passengers on a restricted license here (NZ), unless they are your legal spouse, child or a fully licensed driver.

There is a 10:00pm curfew on restricted drivers, but you can get an exemption if you need to work later.

I'm not sure how long it takes to get your full license here, but it's nothing like 4 years. The least amount of time you can be on a restricted license is 6 months and you must have passed a defensive driving course to get that.

I agree that limitations on the kind of vehicle you are allowed to drive would help bring down the road toll.

You are on a learners for a minimum of 6 months before you can apply for a restricted. This puts the absolute minimum driving age for driving by yourself at 15 years and 180 days.

You are then on a restricted licence for 18 months. This means you can be eligible to obtain your full at the age of 17 years.

On top of this the restricted period can be lowered to 12 months by sitting an approved course. The very youngest a driver can hold a full New Zealand Driver's licence is 16 years 180 days.

The amount of time you can be on your restricted is 6 months if you are over 25, it can be shortened to 3 months with an approved course.

frup wrote:
The amount of time you can be on your restricted is 6 months if you are over 25, it can be shortened to 3 months with an approved course.

I only just found out about this recently, which was awesome because it means I can get my motorbike licence in fuck all time, rather than fucktons of time.

Does it apply to motorbikes too? I thought it was just cars... but fucking awesome. I've been procrastinating getting my class 6 all year!

frup wrote:Does it apply to motorbikes too? I thought it was just cars... but fucking awesome. I've been procrastinating getting my class 6 all year!

Yep, just read the other week that it most certainly does apply to motorbikes.

Is there a seperate defensive/advanced driving course for motorbikes? Because I've already done the car one years ago to get my licence quicker.

All I know is that you have to do a handling cert before even getting the learners.

This morning's Press said he had a full licence.