John MacDonald: There's no way less testing will mean safer driving

I think the Government is making a terrible mistake ditching the second practical test for new drivers. I like some of the changes it’s making to the driver licensing system. But getting rid of the second practical isn’t one of them. I’ll tell you why. But, first, what bits do I like? And what is missing from the changes?  For starters, I like the idea of a zero-alcohol limit for all new drivers. At the moment, this only applies to new drivers under 20. The Government is going to apply that to all new drivers - whatever their age. I would have gone further and introduced a zero-alcohol rule for all drivers. But this is a good start. I also like the increased learner period for new drivers under-25 - which makes total sense because the numbers tell us, don’t they, that any driver under the age of 25 is at greater risk of injury or death. So the more time they spend as a learner driver - which stops them running around town with passengers - that has to be a good thing. As to what’s missing - I’ve always thought it’s nuts that we only train and test new drivers within the town or city limits on 50 kph roads and do nothing to prepare them for driving on the open road. But my real concern is the second practical test getting the flick. I know Transport Minister Chris Bishop is saying New Zealand is a bit isolated in that regard. But doing something just because it’s the way everyone else does it has never been a great justification for anything. When someone is starting out as a new driver, surely that’s the time when you want every opportunity to iron out any bad habits. Because, like any bad habit, the sooner you nip it in the bud - the better. But with new drivers only having a practical test to get their restricted licence - and never being tested again until they’re well past retirement age - that is not going to make our roads safer. The second practical test is the perfect opportunity for any bad driving habits someone has developed while they’ve been on their learner and restricted licences to be picked up and ironed out. Because, if they fail, they remember.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.