Is it ever-so-slightly ironic that, on the same day that the first highway in the South Island had its speed limit increased to 110 kph, we had the Government announce that it wants to make it easier for people to get their driver’s licence? 

The highway is the main drag that runs between Christchurch and Rolleston. And the proposed driver licence changes are a range of things to make it easier and quicker for someone to get their full licence. 

There’s some good stuff in there. But I’m not liking this idea of doing away with the second practical test. 

We’ve got a few weeks to tell the Government what we think of its ideas through a consultation phase that starts today. 

There are some good things in the plan. I like the idea of new drivers having to behave themselves if they want to graduate to their full licence. The Government wants to halve the number of demerit points new drivers can get before having their licence suspended. At the moment, it’s 100. The Government wants to reduce that down to 50 demerit points. 

I like the idea of zero alcohol for all new drivers. At the moment, this only applies to new drivers under 20. The Government wants to apply that rule to new drivers - whatever their age.  

So they’re some of the good ideas. 

But this idea of only having one practical test, instead of two - it doesn’t get my tick.  

And 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. 

Just like it’s not a great justification in this case. Because when someone is starting out as a 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 under this proposal, a person would have one practical test to get their restricted licence and never be tested again until they’re well past retirement age. 

Here’s Transport Minister Chris Bishop’s explanation as to why the Government is doing this. He’s saying today: "We've heard for a while now that the system just hasn't been working as efficiently as people would like, and that there are particularly young people out there who are really reluctant to go and get their full licence because it is stressful, it is anxiety-inducing, and it is costly as well.” 

Stressful and anxiety-inducing? Don’t you think that, when it comes to something as important as a driver’s licence, feeling a bit stressed about it is a good thing? 

That might just be me. But there’s probably a truckload of things we could do away with on the basis that they cause stress and anxiety for people. 

And, surely, if someone does one practical driving test - they’re going to be just as stressed about that one. So I don’t see how reducing it from two is going to address that issue. 

Remember too that, apparently, having a driver’s licence is a privilege - not an entitlement. 

But, for me, the overarching reason why the two practical tests need to stay, comes down to bad habits.  

Anyone who drives has bad habits. There is no perfect driver out there. 

And, whether we’ve been driving for 12 months or 12 years, we all have bad habits.   

I surprised a few people when I told them that I sat-in on the practical driving tests two of our kids did. You can do that - you sit in the back if you promise not to say anything. 

And when I did that, I was amazed to find from the examiner some of the things that you can be failed for. 

And there were some of those things that I do all the time. And that’s why the second practical test is so necessary. 

Because it’s an opportunity for someone to have any bad habits they might have developed while on their restricted licence pointed out to them. 

Especially if it’s a bad habit that leads to them failing their practical test. 

If they fail, they’ll remember.  

And I think we’d be making a serious mistake if we took away this backstop, if you like, from the driver licence system. 

Just because it causes a bit of stress and anxiety. And just because it makes it a bit more expensive. 

Unless, of course, you think a driver’s licence is nothing more than a rite of passage. Unless you think that a licence is an entitlement, not a privilege. 

Making it easier for someone to get their full licence and doing away with the second practical test doesn’t sound like a privilege to me. 

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