Corangamite Cr Simon Illingworth has lots examples of the lack of driving knowledge and experience by overseas visitors on the Great Ocean Road.
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The most recent was on the weekend when he towed a hire car driven by overseas tourists out of bushes near the Gibsons Steps.
Cr Illingworth, of Port Campbell, said the tourists told him they had driven on the wrong side of the road a few times before another error landed them in the scrub besides the GOR.
He said more incidents of driver error by overseas tourists were occurring as more international visitors were hiring vehicles to visit the GOR rather than go on bus tours.
Cr Illingworth said the driver education video produced as part of the state government’s recent Visiting Driver Road Safety Program (VDRSP) bordered on a holiday promotion and was not getting much circulation.
Fellow Corangamite Cr Neil Trotter said he did not believe car rental companies were yet doing much to improve the education about Australian road rules they provided to overseas visitors who hired vehicles.
The state government said the VDRSP had been rolled out but the campaign was a voluntary initiative using the goodwill of the companies involved.
Safety messages are being distributed to visiting drivers through various channels including bi-lingual videos, digital advertising, social media and promotional materials within hire vehicles displaying the "Keep Left" message.
VicRoads has said it does not support making overseas drivers sit an entry exam or imposing any additional restrictions on them before they gain a temporary licence to drive in Victoria.
