International Driving Permits - Bit of a Joke!

[ol' boy]

As our world gets more and more governed, licensed, protected, closed and subject to regulations and safety requirements, the International Driving Permit or IDP, just seems like the biggest joke!!

Its not like you are made to learn the road rules of the destination country!!
Its just a piece of paper!

I bring this up, because we have suffered 3 road accidents at the same country intersection in 5 days, causing deaths and serve physical trauma.

All were caused by International Drivers!! All Asian!

This is what worries me, the airport is only 2hours away, they land in this new country, pick up a hire car and off they go!!
With no idea!

I've had many near miss's with them on the road, all the tell tale signs, new hatchback, full of Internationals from the same country, rental sticker on the back window, sometimes 3 car loads, all following each other, none with any idea, then the lead driver makes a sudden u-turn or just drives into on coming traffic..... Stops in teh middle of the road for a Koala or something equally as stupid.
And worse, then just run Stop signs and t-bone poor innocent locals, killing people in the process.

How in this day and age of legislation is such a joke of a system allowed to prevail?
Surely we can MAKE them use a driver or a coach and create jobs for Australians....

And here is our Government pushing for a "Zero" road toll!!

[enf]

But....but....but....if you single them out you may be seen as racist....

Surprise factor zero.

[ol' boy]

Yeah, i know its a no win situation
Plenty of Australians need to drive Overseas for Work and Holidays.
They get an IDP, doesn't mean much

I guess we just keep arming International Tourists with vehicles to run us over and we'll call it Tourism

[Tiny]

It would be interesting to see the accident statistics on International drivers of hire cars.

I know when I was over your way touring the GOR with you OB, there were some very scary international drivers out there.
I felt safer in the helicopter & that's a big one for me to even get in one.

EDIT: a quick search doesn't bring up much although it has been cause for concern in the recent past.


from 2014

The RAA says every opportunity should be taken to educate overseas drivers, who have been involved in 30 fatal and serious injury crashes since 2009.

The State Government has promised greater promotion and refreshing of its “Drive on Left” campaign aimed at preventing driver disorientation.

Transport Department statistics show the international driver was deemed responsible for 10 out of the 15 fatal crashes and nine out of the 15 serious injury crashes they were involved in during the past five years.

They were driving a hire car in all but one of the fatal crashes, but not all were from countries where motorists travel on the right-hand side of the road.

Four international motorists have died in three separate crashes on the state’s roads since May.

RAA Road Safety senior manager Charles Mountain said testing should be considered for international drivers.


“Something fairly short and punchy that would certainly help cover off the basics like which side of the road, what are the default speed limits and a couple of questions about give way,” he said.


“It could be a little tick box questionnaire that (hire) companies give out with the information pack.


“Every opportunity should be taken to ensure people are familiar with anything that is different in the driving jurisdiction that they are going to be operating in.”

[lsemmens]

We've had some drownings at a popular, local beach in the past couple of weeks. Again, all visitors from countries where swimming in the ocean is not generally/easily available. As a result, they've banned swimming from certain areas. At this rate swimming will be banned all together, just in case someone drowns.

[ol' boy]

Yeah, we've already had a Tourist die from drowning, the same old thing, swims out to save his kids, kids are fine, dad drowns
Happens every year!
They can go drown all they like, at least they don't kill innocent people doing it....

But this International Tourist in a car thing is a serious problem in South West Vic, they all want to go the Ocean Road and Apostles
Never been in the area before, all following GPS that probably tells them mis information, as they so often do.

This type of thing:

Victoria Police spokeswoman Acting Sergeant Melissa Seach said Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives charged the 27-year-old Chinese national with dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing serious injury following the death of a 52-year-old Batesford man.

There has also been a Chinese Tourist Bus service, driven by a Chinese man crash off the road, rolling the bus and putting all in Hosiptal.
There actually is no end of these incidents, its almost daily.

So many road signs now in Chinese i'm wondering what country i live in.

[ol' boy]

I know when I was over your way touring the GOR with you OB,

And we had a good day.... But as you say, every vehicle you approach MUST be treated with potential for anything, especially when they start to slow down!

[mandc]

"You cannot drive with an International Driver's Permit (IDP) in mainland ; China has not signed the convention which created IDPs. You need a Chinese license to drive in China.(Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan issued licenses are not considered Chinese licenses)."

The real joke is that we cannot drive in China when we visit...not that you want to...the bastards are crazy over there.
Saw a woman in China stopped in the centre lane of a freeway happily chatting on her mobile phone whilst 100km/hr cars veered around her.

They also don't even need a permit to drive here...just their drivers licence and a certified copy of it translated into English.

[ol' boy]

Thanks mandc, i didn't know that.

I just know in Thailand, South Korea and South Africa IDP is accepted
Fancy China not accepting it, talk about double standards

[shred]

It would be interesting to see the accident statistics on International drivers of hire cars.

Overseas tourists have become a huge problem on Tasmanian roads in recent years. Every time the subject of the road toll or a story about yet another crash involving overseas visitors comes up on ABC radio, listeners phone in complaining about (mostly) Asian tourists and their terrible driving. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some of these "drivers" obtained their overseas license by driving in a simulator and had practically no driving experience before arriving here and renting a car. Typical problems are:

* Stopping in dangerous locations to gawp at the view
* As above, but getting out of the car and taking photos - standing in dangerous places
* Driving on the wrong side of the road
* Obstructing the flow of traffic by driving much too slowly
* Ignoring road signs

This time last year, we went to the local blueberry farm to pick a few kg of blueberries and were stuck in a line of traffic behind a rented "people mover" dawdling at 60 km/h in a 100 km/h zone just North of Lilydale (Tas) for those familiar with the area. As we approached a notorious and well sign posted hairpin corner, the driver didn't slow down. The vehicle wound up upside down in a ditch. Fortunately none of the Chinese tourists were injured, but they could have easily been killed and taken other people out with them. When we got home, I went back through the dashcam footage from Mrs Shred's car and confirmed that the overseas "driver" had ignored multiple large signs warning of the need to slow for the corner.

I hate to think what all this is costing us locals in insurance premiums and excessive rental car costs when we hire cars.

I think New Zealanders are further down this track than us and have well and truly had a gut full:

[shred]

Saw a woman in China stopped in the centre lane of a freeway happily chatting on her mobile phone whilst 100km/hr cars veered around her.

Same thing happens here... they just stop in the middle of the highway to talk on the phone or to take photos. Bonus points for stopping just around a blind corner.

[ol' boy]

Well.... something looks to be happening ...
Not really dealing with the root cause though.



I think this is avery valid statement

He said if people didn’t drive regularly at home then they shouldn’t be driving in Australia. “Australian driving conditions are challenging,”

I mean, they cant even use a knife and fork But we give them a shiny new car to drive

[WhiteOx]

I was watching Highway Cops the other day when a Police Officer had stopped a Chinese tourist and asked how long he had been driving in New Zealand.
Answer......
About 13 minutes.

[mtv]

These signs are placed at some spots along the Great Ocean Road in VIC (I'm sure many have seen them).

It bothers me that these drivers may have driven that far before seeing these signs.

They need to be at hire car counters at air/sea ports and probably in rental agreements... maybe also a dash sticker in the car as well, so visitors from countries where they drive on the right are reminded we keep left.

[lsemmens]

Personally, there should be a written and practical test - IN ENGLISH for every tourist who wants to drive here. For that fact if ANYONE wants to drive in OZ (that includes locals) they should be required to re-sit their license every 10 years. For those on P plates, there should also be a mandatory test before upgrading that license to a P2 and full license, just like they had to pass a test to get their Ps.

FWIW anyone who drives on the road should be treated as though they are walking around with a loaded weapon, and treated accordingly. If you get done for drug, or alcohol, you should be charged under the same laws the cover discharge of a bang stick in that area. If you kill someone, murder, should be the charge.

[iannic52]

Here in NZ some of the more touristy spots have arrows painted on the road to remind overseas visitors the correct side top travel on

[alpha0ne]

Butbutbutbut........suck it up AU, remember these lovely tourists bring in $$$ (and we know that's what really counts !) and create real jobs for young Australians..........like panel beaters..............insurance assessors, motel clerks, nurses, trauma surgeons, hospital orderlies, funeral directors..................the list is endless

[ol' boy]

These signs are placed at some spots along the Great Ocean Road in VIC (I'm sure many have seen them).

Hundreds of those signs mate, they are with in 50 to 100 meters of every turn out or car park for the entire length of the road
It is the hinterland road (the return route), when people are tired after a day of sight seeing which hasn't got these signs...
They are just normal single lane country roads with people going about their daily business

This seems to be where all the major accidents and deaths occur
Speed limits are 100kph, where is the GOR is 60kph to 80kph with sections of 100kph

There is a spot, where ALL the return traffic from the 12 Apostles arrives at the Princess Hwy
It is just a simple T-Intersection.... I shit myself when approaching on the Princes Hwy west bound doing the speed limit (100ks), then you see a line of cars waiting to turn right across your lane onto a full functioning 100kph hwy from a standing start...

All return traffic (north bound) from the 12 Apostles ends up turning right at this intersection on the Princes Hwy



Pretty scary in the late arvo/evening with a setting west sun and Asians pulling out or purely just missing the stop sign altogether.
I slow to 80 and flash my driving lights if i see them waiting to pull out, who knows where they are looking, or if they can see at all.... They do a vision test to drive here?

[ol' boy]

It is almost the perfect storm

You have International Tourists on a drive that takes ALL day, i mean a 7am start in Melb at the latest
They have no concept of the distance involved
Spend all day driving and sight seeing
Then leave Port Campbell at dinner time for the long drive home, on country back roads with simple cross roads and t-intersections....
Very little in the way of signage compared to Asia...

You just couldn't make it worse if you tried.

[gordon_s1942]

Its possible that many of those mentioned here regarding their Driving ability or lack of it are not of the Christian Faith but of another that has the belief that if your destined to have an accident today, you will have it so why take any precautions like following Road Rules and other silly directions !!!