DANGEROUS drivers from overseas will be black-listed from rental car agencies in Queenstown as part of a trial to stop them driving in New Zealand.

Rental Vehicle Association chairman Barry Kidd said a proposal to blacklist bad drivers addresses the loophole faced by police when dealing with foreign drivers in New Zealand.

Police who catch people with New Zealand licences driving dangerously have the power to impound their vehicles and take away their licence.

“But police don’t have similar powers for overseas drivers,” Mr Kidd told AAP.

While car rental agencies have the power to cancel contracts if a driver is deemed unsafe, there’s nothing to prevent that driver from renting another car from a different agency, he said.

“If an unsafe driver has had their contract cancelled, what’s to stop them from going down the road and getting behind the wheel of another vehicle?” Mr Kidd said sharing information about dangerous drivers would prevent the likelihood of them being a risk to themselves and others.

“We’re just trying to get those people off the road.” The Rental Vehicle Association says there is anecdotal evidence of tourist drivers whose contracts are cancelled, then renting cars from different agencies.

“We’re not sure whether it’s actually happening or not,” said Mr Kidd.

It’s hoped the trial involving Queenstown-based vehicle rental agencies will shed light on the issue.

The trial is likely to begin before the end of the resort’s busy summer period and last four to six months.

Mr Kidd said it’s important to remember that unsafe drivers represent only a few people who rent cars.

“It’s a very small proportion of people creating most of the problem, but by focusing on that small group we can try to fix the problem.”