DEVELOPMENT OF FULL LICENCE TEST FOR NEW ZEALAND

While the New Zealand graduated licensing system is perhaps the most fully developed in the world, it does not include any form of assessment to from restricted to full licence status. In early 1998 the Land Transport Safety Authority of New Zealand (LTSA) initiated the development and introduction of a test to assess the safe driving skills and abilities of restricted licence holders wishing to graduate to full licence status after at least 18 months of solo driving. This assessment tool was to be known as the Full Licence Test (FLT) and would mark the last opportunity for driver assessment before the removal of all graduated licensing restrictions. The LTSA commissioned a team of Australian consultants to develop and trial the FLT. LTSA specified that the FLT was to focus on the driver's situational awareness, visual scanning skills, hazard identification skills, proactive/reactive hazard avoidance skills, and attention allocation. Elements of vehicle control, manoeuvring and adherence to road rules were also to be included. This paper outlines the development and trialling of the FLT in New Zealand. Issues relating to developing a novice driver assessment tool from first principles arc also explored together with the production of supporting materials and the training of assessors. Comparisons between the NZ Full Licence Test and graduated licensing exit tests used in other jurisdictions are also made. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see IRRD abstract no. E200232.