Driving tests
You’ve probably heard of the 2-second rule. It’s a rule that light vehicle drivers can use in dry weather on good road surfaces to maintain a reasonably safe following distance to a vehicle in front. You simply count two seconds…
When there’s a cycle lane at a set of lights, you must not wait in it for the light to turn green, and you must not drive in it as you approach the lights (unless you’re riding a bicycle). Motorbikes…
Let’s clear up some misconceptions about what you can do when you want to turn right at traffic lights where there’s no green turning arrow. If everyone follows these rules, more traffic can flow through the intersection. As soon as…
There are a few different scenarios for pedestrian crossings: Painted crossings with no central reservation (i.e. the crossing is continuous) Painted crossings with a central reservation island (i.e. the crossing is continuous, but there’s a small raised traffic island in…
Choosing the correct lane position means you picking the best compromise between leaving a safety buffer and picking the part of the road with the most grip. There will be a difference in your lane position between wet and dry…
Whether you drive a car, truck or bus, or ride a motorbike, heavy winds can cause a lot of extra danger. This article explains the hazards you could experience during and immediately after heavy winds, and their effects on other…
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,…
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…
Our traffic lights conform to international standards in terms of their colour, but we have slightly different phasing than some countries. Red lights A red light always means stop. You must wait until the green light shows before you can…
This is a convenient list of speed limits in New Zealand for all types of vehicles. For cars and motorbikes the open road speed limit is 100km/h if the conditions are good. Other vehicles have restricted limits, though. The default…
Work time restrictions are placed on heavy vehicle drivers because driver fatigue is a leading cause of fatal crashes. Commercial drivers are particularly at risk, especially when they drive during shift-work. To keep drivers accountable details are stored in a…
Vehicle weight definitions The tare weight is the weight of the vehicle itself, not including any load. Gross weight or gross vehicle mass is the combined weight of a vehicle and its load, accessories, equipment and passengers. Before an overweight vehicle…
Class 2 The forward distance is the measurement is from the rear axis to the front of the vehicle or its load. The maximum distance a vehicle or its load may extend forward from the front edge of the driver’s seat…
To help drivers see where a road is going ahead, both in the day and at night, roads are often installed with markers on the left and right verges, road studs (also called cat’s eyes or reflective raised pavement markers),…
Towing a trailer requires more skill from you as a driver, and puts more strain on your car. In this article we’ll discuss the skills you will need to develop, what the requirements are for your car, what should you…
In this article we’ll discuss how competent drivers avoid accidents, and tell you your obligations if you do have an accident. Until computers control all our vehicles, we will continue to have crashes because drivers are only human. Unfortunately humans…
There are several types of pedestrian crossings on New Zealand’s roads, and they are designed to allow safer crossings for pedestrians, people using wheeled recreational vehicles like skateboards, rollerskates and self-propelled scooters; and people using mobility devices such as motorised…
Trains in New Zealand don’t enjoy a large network like in, for example, Europe or Queensland (where passenger trains and sugar cane trains respectively are very common), but you will encounter different types of crossings, and there are many signs…
Here are all the temporary warning signs you are likely to see on New Zealand’s roads. They are primarily deep orange and/or white with black writing. Remember to check out our other sign guides starting here. Road workers will be…
Permanent warning signs are mostly yellow with a black border and black writing with a few exceptions. Speed cameras may be present Warns of a speed limit coming up ahead, for example, if you are on a motorway where the…