A plea from two young boys for foreign drivers to pass a test before hitting New Zealand's roads has been rebuffed by the Automobile Association.

South Canterbury boys Sean and Cody Roberts collected more than 30,000 signatures on a petition to Parliament, after their father was killed by a Chinese tourist driver.

The AA's Simon Douglas has told a select committee that tourists aren't involved in a disproportionate number of crashes.

He says the AA "unequivocally" believes neither a theory or practical test would make a real difference - and the focus should be on road safety measures, including rumble strips.

AA spokesman Mike Noon says the idea's impractical and unlikely to prevent crashes.

He's offered an alternative idea.

"We know there are some roads which are highly trafficked by tourists," he says.

"Retrofitting with rumble strips, directional arrows, putting up wire-rope barriers, putting up appropriate signage - that's where we should absolutely be focusing."