Music festivals around the South Island are expected to attract partygoers to many of the Mainland's top summer spots, with carloads of young visitors driving to their destinations.
The inaugural EarthTonz music festival near Queenstown and Rhythm and Alps at Terrace Downs in Canterbury - a South Island sister gig to Gisborne's Rhythm and Vines - are expected to attract thousands keen to dance in the new year.
In February, the ever-popular Rippon Festival near Wanaka and the Luminate festival in Golden Bay at the top of the South Island are also flagged as potential attractions for teenage music fans in road trip travel-safety information being promoted by the New Zealand Transport Agency.
The NZTA wants to encourage parents to help their teens "identify and manage risky situations" which young motorists may face on their road travels.
NZTA southern regional manager of access and use Greg Allnutt said it was important for young drivers to plan their summer travel routes.
Discussing potential driving challenges and options to help reduce accident risks was important for parents of young drivers.
Planning a travel route enabled teenage motorists to focus on the road and driving, rather than being distracted by navigating. Other risks such as peer pressure, driving fatigue and poor weather and road conditions were also worth discussing with teenage drivers, as were safety checks of vehicles, Mr Allnutt said.
Anyone attending music festivals could be prone to over-exertion and teenagers were no exception, he said.
"Teens will be keen to pack as much music into a day as they can and getting a decent sleep isn't likely to be on their list of priorities."
However, even moderate sleep deprivation could affect a driver's attention, and if people had been drinking the day before driving it was important they had plenty of rest to ensure the alcohol had left their system.
"Driving too fast is one of the most common factors in teen driver crashes," Mr Allnutt said.
The NZTA has set up a Safe Teen Driver website to provide practical advice and suggestions to help teenagers and parents plan for any road trips.
Driving to festivals could be challenging and motorists often encountered hazards, such as narrow winding roads, roadworks, heavy traffic and vehicles towing boats or caravans.
"For parents with teens with little experience in these situations, it is worth getting in the car with them to give them some practice - even if they already have a full licence," Mr Allnutt said.
The most important thing for parents and teenagers alike was ensuring road trips were about arriving safely at the destination and getting home again in one piece, Mr Allnutt said.
