Driving in New Zealand

Driving in New Zealand

English translation of international driver's license or notarized driver's license
If you have an international driver's license or a notarized driver's license in English together with your Korean driver's license up to 1 year after entering New Zealand, you can drive it. The Korean Embassy in New Zealand also provides license notarization services. You should not use it any longer when you stay for more than one year.

Driver's license exchange
If you plan to stay in New Zealand for more than one year (a related visa is required), have a Korean driver's license for more than two years, and have a visa, you can exchange for a New Zealand driver's license. Documents required are said to have been changed. After preparing the required documents, refer to the exchange procedure. Fortunately, thanks to the Korea-New FTA, I was able to exchange my driver's license without having to take any NZ driving license theory / practice / road test. Anyone who has already taken the test, such as theory or practice, should be able to complete the NZ license. Something seems unfair, but it is a constraint that one side understands.

Left lane driving
You have to drive in the left lane.

Driving in the left lane is the hardest. During my first two weeks driving around the North Island and the South Island, I had to drive on my left, left, In an emergency situation, the direction of the evasive response differs, and the orientation indicator and the position of the gear are opposite, too, so that the automatic gear vehicle is much better than the manual gear vehicle in order to adapt quickly. I am very busy adapting to the road conditions and the vehicle, I have no mind to manipulate manual clutch and clutch. I have used a trailer once in the past 7 years and have borrowed a passive vehicle from my wife 's friend' s house.

Give way rule
It is advisable to look at the data on priorities when driving. Each case is described, but you can see who is first even if you look at the picture.

Give way indication
Basically, it is essential to operate in the Give way rule. However, it is an indication that it should not interfere with the passage of other vehicles expressly. The usual Give way display is as follows.

Show normal Give way

If the Give way rule and other rules apply, you can also see the following Give way sign specifically. According to the Give way rule, a left-turn vehicle takes precedence over a vehicle that makes a right turn from the opposite side, but it is designated as a right-turn-ahead vehicle by local governments depending on the road use situation.

Show special give way

Stop sign
Stop sign

In New Zealand, the Stop sign means you can enter the car if it does not interfere with the ongoing vehicle operation after a three-second wait after a complete stop. How boring and long the time of three seconds is, the cops can see even if they stop violating the stop sign. Personally, to wait for 3 seconds, after a complete stop, 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds, and then counts, then depart from the road.

A curved road meets another road
It is really dangerous. When a curved road meets another road, the vehicles that run on the curved road are considered to be straight ahead and run at top priority.

Curved road

Round about
It operates differently from Rotary in Korea. The following is a typical roundabout where four roads meet. Suppose you want to go straight through the roundabout as shown below.

Round about

If you are driving car # 1 in the following situations, it is better to stop just before entering the roundabout when approaching the roundabout, as car # 2 is in operation (the driver's car on the right is prioritized). If the second car then turns on the right signal, wait until it exits. If the second car is not turned on and no car is on the right side of the first car, it is possible to go straight ahead. Be careful, however, because there are vehicles that sometimes turn off the signal and make a right turn. Usually, if you are going straight ahead, you will not turn on the signal at the start, but tell other drivers that you are going out by turning on the left signal before turning away from the roundabout. When you turn left, you turn on the signal of left turn and turn around a little bit. When turning right, turn on the right turn signal, turn on the signal on the right before leaving the roundabout, and be careful not to do it by all drivers.

Round about

If you turn on Google Maps and drive, if you pass a roundabout, you will be guided by the exit number, not the left turn, right turn, or straight ahead. There are three, five, and six outlets.

turn left
Turn left signal

There is an intersection with a left turn arrow signal. In this case, only the green left turn arrow signal is possible to turn left. In the case of a left turn arrow signal, it may be installed separately as in the above case, and there may be a case where the main signal light (with a straight signal) is in the same state. If there is a left turn signal, it should be followed unconditionally. If there is no left turn arrow signal, it is possible to make a left turn unless interfering with the passage of another vehicle.

turn right
Since it is driving in the left lane, the right turn crosses the lane. Normally at the intersection there is a right turn arrow signal, which is sometimes followed by a right turn signal with no right turn arrow signal. In such a case, it is possible to make a right turn only when the straight line signal does not interfere with the traffic of the straight lane of the other lane.

Keep Clear
Keep Clear

When driving, it is a road sign that you sometimes meet. If you have to stop, do not stop at the marked area. The road is very crowded and seems to be marked if it is difficult to enter.

Entry direction sign
Entry direction sign

The first lane in the left lane when you first stopped at the intersection. There are a lot of tourists, there are many immigrants, and there are many crossroads with signposts showing directions to enter. It is not all there is, but it is a purpose to let you know where to go in the right turn. In addition to the intersections, many are installed wherever necessary.

Safety zones in the middle of the road (Flush medians)
When I came to New Zealand to drive, I was surprised to see that the safety zone in Korea was painted in the middle of the road.

Fluash Medians

Unlike the safety zone in Korea, this area is a place where vehicles that left turn, turn right, merge into a road, etc. stay for a while. It is also the area where pedestrians who want to cross the road can stay for a while. Therefore, it can be seen as a more dangerous area than a safe one. Pedestrians, vehicles traveling in both directions can be mixed. Originally, you should not drive in this area, but you can watch the cars driving in this area for reasons such as entering the right turn-ahead lane first. Be very careful.

On the other hand, it is also convenient. If you make a right turn, you can stay out of the lane for a while, turn right at the opportunity, cross the road and enter the left lane.

Pedestrian First Crosswalk vs Vehicle First Crosswalk
Pedestrian pedestrian crossings with orange circles are preferred as follows. Usually, the pedestrian stops trying to cross.

Pedestrian priority

The following are the first crosswalks of vehicles near the roundabout. It is stated that a pedestrian should yield to a vehicle running in four corners of a pedestrian crossing. In reality, however, vehicles are not too crowded, or when the stroller, child, or elderly people are making concessions.

Vehicle priority

One-lane bridge
One of the first things I really cried about driving from New Zealand to the North and South Islands was the one-lane bridge. Because it is a narrow bridge, there is only one lane, and you have to observe the road marking which indicates which is the first traffic unconditionally. There are two markings. If you do not notice the first mark, it is impossible to figure out what the second mark means, and it is really dangerous when you approach the bridge. If you know that there is a car that is already in operation, and if you turn the steering wheel unconsciously, it is likely to lead to a terrible accident.

One-lane bridge display

In fact, a couple of 60 tourists from Korea who came from Korea in 2015 died on the one-lane bridge near the Wanganui River, South Island, two days after arriving in New Zealand.

Passing Lane
Most of New Zealand's roads are two-lane two-way. Even the Highway has a huge number of two-lane, two-lane, lanes. Perhaps you do not have to ask if you want to overtake a slow freight vehicle in front of the road. However, foreign drivers who are unfamiliar with the road conditions in which they are driving should pay great attention to Korean drivers, especially those who have driven the opposite lane for a lifetime. I personally try not to overtake it. A vehicle that can only slow down in front of you waits until the passing lane appears before you can pass it as long as it does not give you a signal to see the road situation ahead while driving on the shoulder to make it easier for the following vehicles to pass.

If there is a passenger lane, there are indications to give you a few kilometers ahead of time. It would mean to be patient and wait for you to pass over a narrow road, not to drive dangerously. You can easily overtake vehicles that are usually out of the way and can not speed up.

Passing lane guide

At the starting point of the Passing lane, there is a sign that you must drive to the left lane in order not to overtake: From this time on, the overtaken vehicles will roar and start to run in the lane of the two lanes. Everywhere in the world.