Road rules of New Zealand & road map

New Zealand road map and scenic route planner for self drive holidays.

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Most New Zealand rental car and New Zealand motorhome and campervan rental companies have exclusions on some roads that are popular tourist routes. See our insurance advice page.

Roads often excluded -

In the North Island of New Zealand. - Ninety Mile Beach Northland, All roads North of Colville township on the Coromandel Peninsula and the coastal road to Russel in the Bay of Islands.

In the South Island of New Zealand. - Skippers Road Queenstown, Ball Hut road Mount Cook, Te Anau to Milford road ( Applies to some New Zealand rental car and motorhome companies) 2 Wheel Drive vehicles may not be used (unless authorized) on any unsealed road (being a road not sealed with a hard material such as tar, bitumen or concrete).

New Zealand roads has many one lane bridges. Campervans and motorhomes need to beware of their width with some minor country bridges. If you have to give way at a one lane bridge - you may see one or both of these warning signs.
The first warning sign looks like this -The diamond shaped sign tells you that you are coming up to a one lane bridge. The round sign with the red border tells you that you must give way to oncoming vehicles.
If you have the right of way at a one lane bridge, you will see this sign as you come up to the bridge. The big white arrow on the blue rectangle shows that you can go onto the bridge first. Slow down and check for oncoming vehicles before driving onto the bridge.
You must not go faster than the numbered speed
You must stop
You must not turn left
You must not do a U turn
These signs warn you that you are coming up to a curve. The number recommends a safe and comfortable speed to drive at around the curve.
Keep left
Give way to all traffic

A common cause of tourist driving accidents on New Zealand roads is a failure to drive on the "left hand" side of the road. Many New Zealand rental car companies have a warning sticker placed on the dashboard, many do not. Remember to keep left.

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