About driving
Key driving skills
Keeping left
In New Zealand, vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road.
It is essential to keep left, because if you don't, you are likely to cause a head-on crash. This is one of the worst types of crash you can have, as it almost always results in death or severe injury.
Keeping left on a laned road
Most roads in New Zealand have lanes marked on them with a white line or raised studs.
When driving on a multi-laned road, it is important to drive your vehicle within your lane.
Where there are two or more lanes on your side of the centre line:
- keep in the left-hand lane as much as you can (this reduces the risk of drivers being in your left-side blind spots)
- keep in the centre of the lane, as the camber of the road can tilt your vehicle
- don't use the lane closest to the centre line if you will hold up other vehicles.
The lane closest to the centre line should only be used when:
- you want to pass another vehicle
- you want to turn right
- the left-hand lane is full with other traffic or is blocked.
Laned road
Keeping left on an unlaned road
An unlaned road is a road with no marked white lines or raised studs. Always keep as close as possible to the left side of the road.
Unlaned road
Proper position for taking curves
On a right curve
Maintain a path toward the left of the road. This is to keep the trailing unit of a long vehicle from encroaching on the centre line.
On a left curve
Maintain a path towards the centre of the road to avoid the left rear wheels of the vehicle from dropping off the road or hitting the kerb.
Curves in the road