Driving in New Zealand

For example: we drive on the left-hand side of the road. it's easy to underestimate travelling times. our roads are narrower, more winding and sometimes steeper than you might expect.

Does New Zealand drive on the same side as UK?

Like Australia, New Zealand is another country where UK drivers are likely to feel reasonably at home on the roads. New Zealanders drive on the left, and the Highway Code and street signs are virtually identical to those of the UK.

Are New Zealand cars left or right hand drive?

Share with your friends! One of the most important thing for visitors to New Zealand to remember is that we drive on the left side of the road. And of course that means if you are hiring a vehicle to drive here, the steering wheel will be on the right hand side of the car, not the left, which you may be used to.

Do Australia and New Zealand drive on the left?

These two countries later exported their driving styles to their respective colonies, which is why many former British territories such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India still drive on the left.

What countries drive on right side?

India, Japan, Cyprus, South Africa, and Malta also have right-side, left-lane drivers. The nations of India, Japan, Cyprus, South Africa, and Malta all have the requirements of right-sided steering vehicles and left lane driving. Interestingly, Japan has never been a part of British rule.

5 Tips for driving in New Zealand

Why do Japan drive on the left?

Overtime, Japan has built up a very large and very successful railway system, which is and has always been on the left-hand side. This precedent naturally led to building roads for cars that also drive on the left side.

When did Canada switch to driving on the right?

British Columbia and the Atlantic provinces switched to the right in the 1920s in order to conform with the rest of Canada and the USA. Newfoundland drove on the left until 1947, and joined Canada in 1949. In Europe, the remaining left-driving countries switched one by one to driving on the right.

Why do the UK drive on the left?

Traffic congestion in 18th century London led to a law being passed to make all traffic on London Bridge keep to the left in order to reduce collisions. This rule was incorporated into the Highway Act of 1835 and was adopted throughout the British Empire.

Does Germany drive on the right?

You must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver's license to legally drive in Germany. In Germany, drivers drive on the right and overtake on the left. When traffic is backed up and two or more lanes are going in the same direction, vehicles on the righthand side may overtake vehicles on the left.

Which country drives left?

The bulk of countries that drive on the left are former British colonies including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Only four countries in Europe still drive on the left and they are all islands. They consist of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus.

Did Australia ever drive on the right?

Unlike 66% of the world's population, Australians abide by left-hand traffic laws. That also means the steering wheels in vehicles are on the right-hand side, so the driver is closer to the centre of the road. Other countries that do this include New Zealand, India, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Can you drive a US car in New Zealand?

Most left-hand drive vehicles have to be converted to right-hand drive (RHD) before they can be driven on New Zealand roads. For modern vehicles, this is either very expensive or impractical – especially if the vehicle has a modern frontal impact protection system (eg airbags and crumple zones).

Does Australia have left hand drive?

Australia: Left-hand traffic

We drive on the left for one reason and one reason only: Britain told us to. No, really. As a British colony up until we became a federation in 1901, Australia readily adopted left-hand traffic, no doubt because it made both cultural and economic sense to do so.

Why Driving on the left is better?

Left Hand countries deliver safer driving

In left-hand traffic systems, the better-perfoming right eye is used to monitor oncoming traffic and the driver's wing mirror. In right-hand traffic, the weaker left eye takes over. Plus, left-sided driving is safer for the elderly due to their failing visual abilities.

Does Canada drive on the left?

Re: Which Side of the road do you drive in Canada? Yes, in Canada the steering wheel is on the left, and we drive on the right.

Is driving in New Zealand difficult?

Absolutely! It truly was much simpler than we thought. There is only one route which connects one town to another, so navigating and driving in New Zealand is not difficult. There also aren't that many cars on the road, so you can drive at your own comfortable speed.

Do Swedes drive on the left?

Despite driving on the left, many Swedes already owned cars with the steering wheel on the left-hand side of the vehicle, since many bought from abroad and major Swedish car manufacturers such as Volvo had chosen to follow the trend.

Why do Americans drive on the right?

With the growth of traffic, the roadside ditches also led to a growing tendency in the United States in the late nineteenth century for drivers of light horse-drawn vehicles to both drive on the right and sit on the right to avoid the greater evil of the ditch.

What side does Australia drive on?

The most important thing you need to know about driving in Australia is that we drive on the left. If you've grown up driving on the other side of the road, just remember that the driver should always be close to the centre of the road.

Does China drive on the left?

About two thirds of the countries in the world drive on the right including the USA, China and Russia. Canada used to drive on the left but changed to the right to make border crossings with the United States of America more manageable.

Does Italy drive on the left?

What side of the road do they drive on in Italy? Unlike in the UK, motorists drive on the right-hand side of the road in Italy and overtake on the left – which can take some adjustment if you're used to driving on the left.

Why does US have left-hand drive?

When cars were invented, Henry Ford was a big influence in American driving customs as he built his Model T with the driver on the left side of the car, meaning drivers would have to drive on the right side of the road so their passengers could exit the car on the curb and not into oncoming traffic.

Did Norway used to drive on the left?

At the time, Sweden was the only country in the vicinity with left-hand driving, creating traffic flow inconsistencies with neighbors Norway and Finland. Most Swedes drove left-hand drive vehicles like we have here in the States, making the original traffic arrangement a bit awkward as far as visibility.

When did Europe switch to driving on the right?

Gradually the right-hand traffic was adopted in most countries: Belgium introduced it in 1899, Portugal in 1928, Spain in 1930, and Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1938. The kingdom of Sweden — not until 1967. It became the last state in continental Europe where left-hand traffic persisted.