“To get a private pilots licence (PPL) you only have to complete 45 hours of flight instruction but when it comes to driving a car, it’s going to be a different kettle of fish,” says Federated Farmers transport spokesman Donald Aubrey.

“While you have to be 17 to hold a PPL, you can fly solo at 16 and that tells me you can start your flight training at a much earlier age.

“This shows the Government is going down the wrong track in its proposal to raise the driving age from 15 to 16 as well as requiring 120 hours of supervised driving.

“It could well take several years to clock up 120 hours too.

“This could easily raise the bar to 18 or even older when someone can get their restricted licence, far less a full licence. It makes a mockery of the Prime Minister’s comment that Government is simply linking the driving age to the school leaving age.

“What Federated Farmers wants, is to keep the driving age at 15 and give our young people enhanced training and more practical experience from an earlier age.

“The Government’s planned changes hit rural areas the hardest. These restrictions will make work and community activities much more difficult for our young people, who don’t have the luxury of public transport.

“120 hours of supervised driving will also put parents and guardians under immense emotional pressure to ‘assist’ their children. This can better be achieved through a more structured programme starting at an earlier age, in other words, what happens with flying.

“Such an approach should commence at the impressionable age of 15. As it now stands the Government’s proposal misses a golden 12-month opportunity to better instruct our next generation of road users,” Mr Aubrey said.