Visualisation is a technique commonly used by sportspeople and musicians to accustom their brains to performing a particular action. It is simply the process of imagining something happening – a kind of mental rehearsal just like you would rehearse for…
Automakers take safety seriously because it sells cars, so they cram in more and more features to eke out a competitive advantage. In this article we cover some of the electronics safety aids licensed by manufacturers such as Bosch to…
Affirmations or ‘self-talk’ is a common and simple way in which you can improve your performance. You can use it to help you improve your memory so that you remember the Road Code quicker and more effectively, reduce nervousness when…
A skid is where your vehicle’s tyres lose traction on the road surface and it can be caused by too much acceleration, too much braking or too much turning force for the road surface. Some of the advice you will hear…
Every year more and more technologies filter down from the premium models into the mainstream models as manufacturers recoup their cost of research and development and also incrementally try to beat their competitors while retaining their profit margins. If you’re…
As vehicle manufacturers constantly attempt to outdo one another in convenience, comfort and safety, new features appear on premium models and then gradually trickle down to the mainstream models. While automotive manufacturers sometimes develop their own systems, many of the…
Is it possible for cruise control to cause you to crash when the road conditions are slippery? There’s an email that’s been circulating for years (at least since 2002) which purports to explain such as situation – a woman is…
Rumble strips, raised profile line markings or audio tactile profiled (ATP) road markings, are road markings that generate noise and vibration when you drive over them. The lines are painted like normal road markings except the machine drops ridges (also…
There are three main crash test rating agencies that we see in New Zealand: ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program), Euro NCAP and JNCAP (Japan). There is also the IIHS in the USA, but their figures don’t tend to be…
Air recirculation Your car can introduce air from the outside, or it can recirculate air that’s already in the car. It’s not a completely closed system – there’s always air coming in from the outside because your car is not…
Fog lights Fog is technically when visibility is reduced to less than 1km by mist and low-lying cloud. However, thick fog can reduce your visibility to just a few metres. On the back of a car will be one or…
While around 90% of cars sold in New Zealand have an automatic gearbox of some kind, if you learn to drive and take your restricted test with an automatic, it means you can’t drive a manual car until you pass…
Roading authorities need to convey a certain amount of information to help you drive. Regulatory and advisory signs, street signs, road markings and traffic signals have to compete against advertising hoardings, vehicle signage and other distractions on and off the…
As we reported back in April, NZTA was looking for input into a law change to limit the amount of time drivers and riders spend on their learner or restricted licence. Changes to the Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Rule were announced…
Wearing safety belts The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers under 15 years of age wear seat belts. Passengers 15 years of age and over are responsible for putting seat belts on themselves. If you are riding a motorbike,…
Historic tourist information signs were yellow pole-mounted signs, and you can still see some of these around in rural areas. Newer signs are brown with white writing. Not all tourist facilities warrant a sign. NZTA divides tourist facilities into five…
Parking permission signs Parking signs are usually blue with white writing. Apart from 5-minute parking, they are in increments of 10 minutes up to 60 minutes, then in 60-minute intervals up to 240 minutes. At the edge of each parking…
Traffic engineers look at engineering, education and enforcement when designing traffic environments. In this article we’ll show you many of the different ways in which traffic engineers make roads safer by using measures to slow drivers down where there might…
Let’s look at a number of examples of giving way which can help you determine what to do at many kinds of intersections in New Zealand (and around the world). If you’ve been confused about the rules before, these simple…
