Apr 10, 2019

Driving In New Zealand


New Zealand’s roads can be difficult to navigate for anyone.

Category: General
Posted by: Rite Price Rentals

Driving in New Zealand can be tricky - particularly for those who are unfamiliar with it. Whether you’re visiting New Zealand from overseas or you’re a new driver, here are a few things to watch out for and how to deal with them.

If you’re visiting New Zealand and need to get around then call Rite Price Rentals and ask about our car hire, van hire, and truck hire. We have car rental Rotorua, car rental Hamilton and car rental Tauranga as well as trucks, vans and 4WDs. Have a chat with one of our friendly consultants and they will sort you out with exactly what you need at a great price. Rite Price Rentals is New Zealand’s trusted car rental company.

 

Left Side Driving
In New Zealand, we drive on the left-hand side of the road. Around the world this is not the norm so will take some getting used to for someone visiting from another country. Roughly 75% of the world drive on the right side of the road. A good way to get used to it is to practice driving on quiet suburban streets where traffic density is low. This will minimise the risk if you make a mistake or accidentally switch back to the right side.

Take Corners Slowly
New Zealand is very hilly and mountainous. Because of this, we have a lot of corners and winding roads. Many of these corners will be blind - meaning you can’t see when it ends - and require you to take extra caution when rounding them. Most corners on the motorways will have a sign which recommends the speed at which you should be going when rounding - make sure you obey them! Many accidents have occurred because of over-confident drivers taking corners too quickly.

Take Extra Care When Passing
A lot of New Zealand’s motorways are two lanes - one in each direction - with designated passing lanes at certain intervals. You must NEVER pass on broken or solid yellow lines. This is illegal and will most probably result in an accident or a hefty fine. It is legal to pass on broken white lines, crossing briefly into the oncoming traffic lane, but we recommend simply waiting for a designated passing lane to come up. It’s just not worth the risk.

Take Breaks
Many tourists are under the impression that New Zealand is a tiny couple of islands and thus underestimate distances. In fact, New Zealand is 1600km (1000mi) long and the distance you would travel from the northernmost point (Cape Reinga) to the southernmost point (Bluff) is 2080km (1300mi). This catches a lot of people out and they find themselves driving for much longer than they anticipated. When travelling long distances, make sure to take regular breaks and stay well hydrated. There is plenty of beautiful scenery to take in as you stretch your legs and have a snack.

Drive To The Conditions
When travelling long distances in New Zealand it is likely you will run into multiple different climates and weather patterns. One minute it could be dry and sunny, the next pouring with rain, then foggy. Make sure you’re always adjusting how you drive based on the conditions at hand. A hot and dry road that gets rained on becomes an ice-rink. Take it a bit slower and keep your distance from the car in front of you to give yourself more stopping room if you need it.