A new code of practice for rental vehicle operators, aimed at improving safety for all drivers in New Zealand, will begin next month.
The Tourism Industry Association said development of the code followed agreement from about 25 rental companies, representing the majority of cars and camper vans hired to international visitors, to actively address ongoing concerns over the safety of drivers.
Chief executive Chris Roberts said the code included increased screening of driver experience at the point of hire, additional pre-arrival information about New Zealand driving conditions, and the Queenstown-based trial of an information-sharing network, dubbed a blacklist, where details of drivers whose contracts have been cancelled by one rental company are passed on to others, to prevent the drivers hiring another vehicle.
Mr Roberts said the driver assessment process would be trialled throughout next month, focusing on ensuring the proposed assessment questions are fit for purpose.
It will be done in four languages - English, Mandarin, French and German.
The association and Rental Vehicle Association (RVA) hope to have the code finalised by October, in time for the 2015-16 summer.
Mr Roberts said it was ''very pleasing'' to see the rental vehicle sector's commitment to addressing public concerns about visiting driver safety and the code built on the extensive work already done to educate visiting drivers.
