Raising the driving age from 15 to 16 is part of a package of moves to boost young-driver safety.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced the package yesterday as a first step in implementing Safer Journeys: New Zealand's Road Safety Strategy 2010-20.
Mr Joyce welcomed the moves' approval and said the licensing changes could be implemented as soon as the middle of next year.
"They can make a real difference to the high level of road death and injury suffered by our young people."
A second package of initiatives, focusing on the impact of alcohol on New Zealand roads, would be discussed by Cabinet soon.
This would include reducing the youth blood-alcohol limit to zero.
While Mr Joyce applauded Cabinet's response, it did not impress teenagers, driving instructors or community organisations.
Andrew Henderson (15), of Dunedin, who already has his learner's licence, believed there was little difference between the maturity of a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old. If the Ministry of Transport wanted to make a real difference, it should raise the age to 18.
"But that's not very practical, because when you're a teenager, you want to be more independent."
Andrew said many of his peers felt they had been unfairly stigmatised by boy racers.
"They're a minority. Why change the rules for all of us when not all of us are the problem?"
J. Pine Driver Education instructor and former Ministry of Transport traffic officer and policeman Jim Pine believed the changes would do little to make young drivers safer.
"It's not 15-year-olds who are causing the accidents. It's when they get to 18 or 19 and had their licences for two or three years, they get overconfident and start to think they're bulletproof."
AA driving instructor Alister Baird, of Dunedin, also believed age was not the problem.
"The problem is there's no identification of restricted drivers on the road.
"They should have 'P' plates on their vehicles like they do in Australia, until they get their full licence.
"People need to be wary of these drivers - they are more likely to cause an accident."
Both Mr Pine and Mr Baird thought accumulating 120 hours of supervised driving practice and putting restrictions on the power of vehicles driven by restricted drivers would be difficult to police.
Federated Farmers acting transport spokesman Lachlan McKenzie was disappointed with the decision and said raising the driving age to 16 would not lower the road toll.
"The decision ignores expert opinion, including from the Automobile Association, that the way we learn to drive, particularly getting supervised experience, is the key to improving road safety for our younger New Zealanders."
The changes would hit rural areas hardest, he said.
"The restrictions will make work and community activities much more difficult for our young people who do not have the luxury of public transport.
"As this needs to go through Parliament, we will submit to keep the age at 15, but with enhanced training."
New Zealanders will be able to have a further say on the changes to driver licensing as part of the select committee process.
Actions aimed at improving the safety of young drivers:
• Raise the driving age from 15 to 16.
• Make the restricted licence test more difficult to encourage 120 hours of supervised driving practice.
• Raise public awareness of young-driver crash risk.
• Improve the road safety education available to young people and increase access to it.
• Investigate vehicle power restrictions for young drivers.
• Allow approved courses (Defensive Driving and Street Talk) to be undertaken in the learner licence phase.
• Investigate whether tougher penalties should be introduced for breaches of restricted licences.
