Driving tests

Are variable speed limits actually legal?

Electronic variable speed limit signs are legal and enforceable. They can be established to temporarily restrict the speed due to road works, weather, an accident, a hazard such as a slip, heavy traffic or a temporary event like a concert.

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Which vehicles have speed limiters?

What is a speed limiter? A speed limiter is a device that prevents a vehicle from exceeding a certain speed. Some vehicles have an electronic control that analyses road speed data and uses that to restrict engine power, while others

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What is the speed limit tolerance in New Zealand?

The general speed limit tolerance has been 10km/h for automated cameras, however, according to the police, this has been reduced and they are remaining tight-lipped about what the actual tolerance is. There is no official tolerance used by road police

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Why do drivers break the speed limit?

The majority of drivers break the speed limit. Mostly it’s deliberate, sometimes it’s accidental. Almost always, it’s not required, but very occasionally it’s to get a driver out of danger (e.g. a misjudged overtaking manoeuvre). While over 80% of drivers

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Can a forklift speed limiter improve safety?

We wrote about options for managing forklift speed in your workplace, and what a forklift speed limit should be for your workplace. One of the methods to restrict forklift speed is to use a speed limiter. What is a forklift

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Can speed cameras catch trucks and other heavy vehicles?

The speed limit for heavy vehicles on the open road is 90km/h, but the open road speed limit for cars and motorbikes is 100km/h (or 110km/h on selected stretches). This means that trucks could exceed their speed limit by up

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What’s the difference between excessive speed and inappropriate speed?

truck crash

Excessive speed is where a driver exceeds the posted speed limit. For example, if the limit is 50km/h and the driver drives at 60km/h, this is excessive speed. Inappropriate speed is where the driver drives within the speed limit, but

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Should the New Zealand speed limit be raised?

New Zealand’s maximum speed limit is 100km/h except for a couple of stretches of motorway which are 110km/h. It was introduced at a time when cars didn’t have anti-lock brakes, tyres were poor-performing radial cross-plies, and our roading system had

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Speed limits in New Zealand

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

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The difference between speed limits and suggested speeds

advisory speed sign

When you start driving you will see three types of speed sign: a public regulatory limit, a private regulatory limit and a suggested safe (advisory) speed. Speed limit Public regulatory limits always end in zero. They start at 10km/h (which

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Speed limit passing a stationary school bus will be more rigorously enforced

If you are driving around when school buses are operating you may not be aware that there is a 20kph speed limit if you are passing a school bus dropping off or picking up children, regardless of which direction you

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How do you avoid a speeding fine?

In New Zealand the usual tolerance is 10kph over the limit, and in holiday periods this is dropped to 4kph. There is some contention over whether this is successful in achieving a reduction in fatalities and as the practice is

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