New Zealand Road Code

=Introduction: =

The Road Code is important for children of all ages to know as it helps them stay safe on the road as a pedestrian and as a novice driver. The Road Code is administered by NZTA in New Zealand.

1.1 Understanding the Road Code
What is the Road Code?

The Road Code is a set of rules produced by NZ Transport Agency that defines how vehicles must act on the road. There is a separate Road Code for cars, motorbikes, heavy vehicles and cyclists.

The rules are derived from a mixture of government legislation, common sense safe driving practices and social needs.

Where a vehicle requires a licence to use, drivers will be tested on Road Code knowledge before they can obtain the licence.

The Road Code is enforced by the Police and parking officers by the use of fines and demerit points. Drivers may receive a penalty if they are


 * observed by a police officer breaking the road rules
 * photographed by a speed camera exceeding the speed
 * photographed by a red light camera running a red light
 * recorded by a video camera breaking the law
 * checked for alcohol or drugs and found to be over the limit
 * observed by a parking officer with an expired registration or no Warrant of Fitness.

All vehicles that use the roads must obey the Road Code, including both powered and non-powered vehicles. The list can include bicycles, cars, trucks, motorbikes, tractors, vans, motorhomes, quad bikes, skateboards, mopeds, scooters, and others.

Core road rules in New Zealand
Drive on the left

The maximum speed limit is 100kph on the open road

The default urban speed limit is 50kph

Use the two-second rule when following other traffic (i.e. stay two seconds behind it)

Do not cross a yellow line to overtake

It is compulsory to stop at a stop sign and for a red light

Roundabouts are driven clockwise; give way to the right

All passengers and the driver must wear a seat belt

Children 7 and under must be in an approved child car seat

It is illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone when driving to make a call, read or compose a text message or access services

Vehicles must have a current Warrant of Fitness (WoF) and registration, plus (if relevant) a Certificate of Fitness (CoF) and current Road User Charges (RUC)

You must not stop, do a u-turn or drive the wrong way on a motorway

You must stop it a police officer requests you to do so

An amber light means that you must stop if you are able to

Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs)
Road traffic accidents are accidents that occur among road users. Road traffic accidents are a common causes of death and injury. Traffic accidents are almost always caused by a failure to anticipate the road ahead or failure to look before manoeuvring.

Read the following discussion and compare with your answer to 2a.

The predisposing factors to road traffic accidents (RTA) include:-


 * Inattention or distraction
 * Vehicle malfunction (e.g. tyre blowout)
 * Driving under the influence of drugs (legal or illegal) or alcohol
 * Inappropriate speed - applies to vehicles exceeding a safe speed for the road conditions, whether it be fog, rain, potholes, gravel or other traffic
 * Inappropriate following distances (e.g. too close, causing a nose-to-tail accident)
 * Failure to stop for a red light or pedestrian crossing
 * Failure to give way (e.g. turning across traffic, changing lanes without looking, failure to see another road user)
 * Overloading a vehicle
 * Unqualified drivers.

Read the following and compare with your discussion in 2a.
 * Traffic accidents are prevented by the following measures:
 * Low or zero drug and alcohol limits when driving
 * Vehicles should be kept roadworthy
 * Drivers should not use inappropriate speed
 * Vehicles should not be loaded incorrectly
 * Road layout and surfaces should be improved
 * Pedestrian crossings should be clearly marked

Graduated licence process
Every new driver in New Zealand that doesn't arrive from a different country with an existing driver's licence must start with a learner licence. To obtain a learner licence you must complete a Road Code theory test. The tests are compulsory for car, motorbike and heavy vehicle and there are separate specialist questions for each class of vehicle.

Vehicle classes are:
 * Class 1: cars
 * Class 2: light rigid trucks
 * Class 3: light combination vehicles
 * Class 4: heavy rigid trucks
 * Class 5: heavy combination vehicles
 * Class 6: motorbikes

1.3 Road Code sections
The questions for the Road Code are broken down into eight general sections and three specific sections for motorbikes and heavy vehicles:
 * Core
 * Behaviour
 * Parking
 * Emergencies
 * Road Position
 * Intersections
 * Theory
 * Signs
 * Motorbike-specific questions
 * Class 2 questions
 * Class 3-5 questions

Motorbike-specific questions
Motorbike-specific questions cover pillion passengers, handling and braking on slippery surfaces, maintaining control and choosing the best riding position, blind spots and rider protection. Motorbike riders are more vulnerable than other road users and therefore need to take extra care to be visible.

Heavy vehicle-specific questions
The heavy vehicle-specific questions cover maximum dimensions and weights for the different classes, pre-trip safety inspections, dangerous goods endorsements, documentation, overweight permits, work hours and securing loads. Heavy vehicle drivers are in control of a vehicle that has much more mass to stop than a car. They are also responsible for loads that they carry and maintaining alertness when driving for long periods.

Safety initiatives
Safety initiatives for pedestrians around schools consist of:

Kea crossings
Kea crossings provide children with a safe place to cross the road. They're installed around schools so school patrols can control traffic and safely guide children across the street.

A kea crossing only operates when a school patrol and two fluorescent orange crossing point flag signs (one on each side of the road) are present.

Walking school buses
A walking school bus is where parents take their children to a specific location and then they walk together with several adults to school

40kph speed zones
The restricted speeds are only enforced immediately before and after school hours.

Other pedestrian-friendly measures
In other areas there may be islands installed in the road at key crossing points.