Go Rentals Unveils Driving Simulator to Improve Driver Skils

New Zealand based car rental supplier GO Rentals has unveiled the a driving simulator designed to replicate the on-road experience for rental car drivers. In a move to lower crashes and improve driver skills it is a first for New Zealand.

The simulator has been three years in the making and the brainchild of New Zealand Rally Championship driver Rhys Gardner. Designed to be rolled out across the country in partnership with rental car companies, airports and tourism operators it hopes to be a highly effective way to prepare drivers to handle unpredictable or safety critical experiences.

GO Rentals Managing Director James Dalglish said "while the simulator is set to have huge benefit for international visitors, New Zealand license holders will also be able to gain extra experience on challenging roads before they get behind the wheel". He described New Zealand as having a reputation for being "as challenging as they are scenic, and for many drivers the adjustment to different conditions, formats, and topography around the country can be a formidable experience.”

Statistics from the Ministry of Transport in 2016 showed that overseas drivers were involved in 24 (8%) fatal traffic crashes, 114 (5%) serious injury crashes, and 506 (7%) minor injury crashes. In comparison, the total for the country that same year there were 286 fatal crashes, 2,099 serious injury crashes, and 7,583 minor injury crashes, indicating that local New Zealand drivers also need better training when getting behind the wheel.

The driver simulator is located at GO Rentals Queenstown branch with additional simulators expected to be in other branches within the year.