About limits
Speed limits
Excessive speed is one of the biggest killers on our roads. On average, 170 people die every year in New Zealand in speed-related crashes.
Remember, the faster you go, the more likely you are to be killed or seriously injured if you crash.
Safe speed guidelines
When driving a heavy vehicle you must ensure:
- you don't drive faster than 90 km/h in a 100 km/h zone (90 km/h is the maximum open road speed limit for all heavy vehicles, except school buses, which are limited to 80 km/h)
- your speed is safe for the traffic conditions (for example, slow down if you are on a busy road, or if there are pedestrians or cyclists around)
- your speed is safe for the road conditions (for example, slow down if the road is winding, bumpy, narrow, wet or icy)
- your speed is safe for the weather conditions (for example, slow down if it is raining, windy or foggy)
- you can stop suddenly behind a vehicle that you're following - if a vehicle ahead of you stops suddenly and you run into the back of it, you will be legally responsible
- you can stop in half the length of clear road you can see in front of you on a road with no centre line or lanes (for example, a narrow country road where vehicles may meet head-on)
- you can stop in the length of clear lane you can see in front of you on a road with a centre line or lanes.
Slow drivers
If you are travelling slower than the speed limit and there are vehicles following you, you must:
- keep as close to the left side of the road as possible
- pull over as soon as it is safe to let following vehicles pass.
Don't speed up on straight stretches of road to prevent following vehicles from passing you.
Compulsory speed signs
A speed limit is the maximum legal speed that you can travel on the road under good conditions.
Signs showing the speed limit are displayed beside the road. These signs usually have a red border, which means that the sign is compulsory.
You may drive slower than the speed limit shown, but you must be considerate towards any vehicles behind you.
You must drive slower than the limit if:
- conditions make the speed limit shown unsafe, or
- you are driving a vehicle which requires you to drive at a lower speed (such as heavy vehicles, which have a lower speed limit than cars – see table below).
Some examples of speed signs are shown below.
The maximum speed you can travel is 50km/h
The maximum speed you can travel is 70km/h
A temporary speed limit of 30km/h applies. Temporary speed-limit
signs are usually put up when there is work being done on or near the road
Important
Speed limit changes take effect at the sign post.
Before reaching the speed-limit sign make sure you:
- reduce your speed, if the sign indicates a lower speed
- do not increase your speed until you pass the sign, if the sign indicates a higher speed.
Open road speed limits
The signs below mean that the maximum speed that a light vehicle can travel at is 100km/h. However, the maximum speed heavy vehicles can travel at is 90km/h (except for school buses, which are limited to 80km/h).
Maximum speed for heavy vehicles is 90km/h - 100km/h for light vehicles
The vehicles listed in the table below have a lower maximum speed limit than light vehicles.
| Vehicle type | Maximum open road speed limit |
|---|---|
| Heavy motor vehicles (vehicles with a gross vehicle mass* of over 3500kg) and heavy motor vehicles towing trailers | 90km/h |
| Vehicles with a gross vehicle mass* of over 2000kg and are displaying school bus signs | 80km/h |
| Special-type heavy motor vehicles without springs or other effective suspension systems, with pneumatic tyres | 45km/h |
* Gross vehicle mass (GVM) is the greater of:
- the mass specified as the GVM of a particular vehicle by the vehicle's manufacturer
- the mass specified as the GVM of a particular vehicle (or a vehicle of its kind) by the NZTA.
Important
If a driver exceeds a permanent posted speed limit by more than 40km/h, there is an automatic 28-day licence suspension.
If a driver exceeds a temporary speed limit by more than 50km/h, there is an automatic 28-day licence suspension.
Other signs that mean you must adjust your speed
Accident sign
The signs below mean that you are coming up to a crash site. Slow down and drive at 20km/h or less until you have passed the crash site.
Accident
School bus signs
The signs below will be displayed on school buses. If a school bus has stopped to let children on or off, you must slow down and drive at 20km/h or less until you are well past the bus, no matter what direction you are coming from.
School bus signs
Note: you may also see ‘Kura’, the Māori word for school, on a bus.
Curve warning signs
The signs below warn you that you are coming up to a tight curve or bend in the road. The number recommends a safe and comfortable speed to drive at around the curve – in this example the recommended speed is 35km/h. The arrows show which direction the curve goes.
Note: the recommended speed is for a light vehicle and may be too fast for a heavy vehicle, particularly when laden. Drive carefully and adjust your speed if necessary. If you are carrying a load, reduce your speed on a curve to at least 10km/h below the posted speed shown.
Curve warning signs
Keep it 10 below
A speed study of 188 trucks showed 86 percent of drivers took corners faster than the recommended speed.
An analysis of truck crashes on the Kaikoura coast revealed 73 percent were rollovers at corners with advisory speed signs.
Last updated: 29 September 2010