New Code of Practice will help visiting drivers

The finalised Code of Practice for rental vehicle companies is yet another tool to help ensure visiting drivers have all the information necessary to help keep themselves and others safe on our roads, Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says.

“I’m pleased to see the Rental Vehicle Association and Tourism Industry Association have worked swiftly to develop this Code. I encourage rental vehicle operators to sign up and implement the Code before the peak tourism season,” Mr Foss says.

“This initiative builds on a large amount of work already underway, including the multi-agency Visiting Drivers Signature Project, an online training module for overseas travel agents, a Chinese-language safety guide and improvements to road infrastructure.”

Under the Code, rental vehicle operators will assess drivers’ experience, provide more pre-arrival information on New Zealand driving conditions and share information with their competitors.

“The Code will also provide rental vehicle operators with procedures for managing situations where they have concerns about a driver’s preparedness to tackle New Zealand conditions,” Mr Foss says.