UPDATED 3.03pm: New Zealand First has thrown its support behind a petition calling for tougher restrictions on tourist drivers.

LISTEN ABOVE: Judy Richards, mother of the late Rhys Middleton, spoke to Mike Hosking

Judy Richards, whose son Rhys Middleton was killed by a Chinese tourist last year, presented a 8,600 signature petition to Parliament today.

Ms Richards demanding the Government take action, with the petition calling for foreign drivers spending at least three months in New Zealand to sit a driver's test before they are issued a licence.

"How long do we have to wait for the Government to make the roads safer for all of us. The time is now," she said.

Ms Richards earlier told Mike Hosking tourists must know what's required on them on our roads before they get in a vehicle.

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters said there should be a greater prescription for foreign drivers to know what they're doing on our roads.

"Other countries have these strictures and have these more stringent conditions, and so should we.

"When 22 people died on the road last year as a result of actions by foreign drivers, then it's a serious concern."

Over the last three years, following heightened publicity over the behaviour of tourist drivers, authorities and the the tourism industry have taken steps to educate visitors about driving on New Zealand roads.

But Mr Peters said they've been grossly insufficient.

"When I go to the United States or the UK or Europe, I'm required to obey their laws and have an understanding of them, and a pretty fundamental one at that. In New Zealand, I think we're far too loose."