After much public debate there is renewed calls to scrap NZ’s quirky intersection rule requiring left-turning vehicles to give way to traffic crossing from the right. See diagram below.
Giving way when turning left
Both the police and the Ministry of Transport have previously advised government to scrap the rule that is described as confusing and dangerous. As this rule is unique to New Zealand, overseas drivers are usually always unaware of it and subsequently fall into conflict at intersections.
Many local drives claim it confuses even drivers who understand it and is clearly a road hazard.
One of the main problem and accidents associated with this rule occurs when traffic wanting to continue straight, passes the vehicle that has stopped to give way and subsequently collides with the vehicle that is crossing. If vehicles behind the left turning have to stop, this also blocks all traffic from driving straight. This can cause major traffic congestion in suburban areas.
Although not unique to New Zealand, you may wish to visit our NZ road rules page to brush up on our one lane bridge rules that are becoming a sign of bygone times as most counties around the world upgrade bridges to dual carriage ways.
Tags: NZ road rules
I had accident because of this silly rule. You cant instinctively learn it for the period of time that your are driving on NZ roads. I was aware of the rule but at the time of the accident I was talking to my partner and had no hope of being aware of the car on the other side of the road wanting to turn. I say get rid of this rule.
I’m from Victoria, Australia where we have also had this rule before and it was dropped in 1993 under national standardisation of Australian road rules. I read Jon’s post and he claims he had an accident because of this rule, actually, he was talking to his partner. It would be best to pause the conversation in such a situation. But if this was on the phone, that is part of the problem. Talking on mobile phones while driving is a big distraction, even if it was hands free.
If a right turner has to give way to all, this means much more delay and more traffic blocked behind the right turner. Since you drive on the left, the left turner does not cross oncoming straight through traffic but does merge with oncoming right turning traffic, unless there are multiple lanes to turn into. So if they give way to those turning right, this means the right turner only gives way to those not turning, which means less delay (on average) for turning cars and those blocked behind them.
It is a simple matter for the left and right turners to analyse the situation and allow for what’s possible, or better, use common sense and gestures.
I wonder if this article explains why attempts to change the rule have been turned down, that they didn’t get changed because of poor arguments given.
And just how many tourists are dealing with many more differences (sometimes more significant) than just this rule? North American and mainland European tourists have to concentrate at all times because they are driving on the “wrong” side of the road. And how many of these tourists have additional rules in some places back at home such as free right turn on a red light in North America (which would be a left turn for us).
And to New Zealanders who have driven in the UK and/or Australia, what issues did you have with the road rules in these countries?
I find the arguments made in favour of changing the give way rule comparable to suggesting that Canada and the United states should either restrict right turn on red to intersections where a sign explicitly permits it (as in New York City and Germany, and is the case with left turns on red in New South Wales, which drives on the left) or drop it altogether.
What might be argued in that case is this: Right turn on red can be a confusing rule and here is why. In New Zealand, and here in Australia, all turns are only permitted on a green light. In Australia (where we have left turn priority), if turning left on a green as one must usually do at a signalised intersection, one needs to check mostly for hazards on ones left (but may also need to beware of other traffic running a red light).
In North America, it’s essentially the same as here (apart from the left-to-right switch) if one is turning right on a green light, but if one making the same turn on a red, the workload (or at least the primary focus) is shifted the other way because you must give way to traffic facing a green light, which is on your left, though you also give way to pedestrians on a green man. Two different workloads are placed on drivers making right turns at the same intersection from the same street depending on the signal aspect sounds confusing, doesn’t it?
It also increases the chances of someone unexpectedly turning in front of and nearly colliding with those facing a green light. This might happen because of overtaking at intersection and the confusion it causes, for example.
Not that it is a bad rule, this argument is an analogy. That fact is that right turn on red is basically like right turn at a stop sign (in right hand traffic). But even in North America, there are some locations where no turn on red is feasible, for one of more of the following reasons:
1 an unsufficient visibility distance;
2 a restricted geometric development;
3 an intersection presenting an unususal layout;
4 a pedestrian protected phase;
5 unhabitual manœuvres (as in the presence of two turning lanes);
6 more than three accidents over a period of twelve consecutive months caused by the right turn on red manœuvre (reevaluation criterion);
7 a significant number of pedestrians or cyclists likely to cross;
8 the proximity of a level crossing;
9 a conflict between the right turn on red manœuvre an movements of visually impaired people.
If they had hook turns in downtown Toronto (unfortunately they don’t and if they did they would be left turns from the right), or left turns on a red were permitted in Victoria, then hook turn intersections would presumably meet criterion three.
If less than half of all signalised intersections meet these criteria, than it’s fine to permit right turn on red (or left turn on red if your drive on the left) by default. But if (more than) half of all signalised intersections meet no turn on red criteria, then one should only permit right turn on red where a sign explicitly permits it, if at all.