DIR-23-15
28 March 2023
Charles Finley
[FYI request #21799 email]
Dear Charles
I refer to your email dated 11 February 2023 to the Ministry of Transport commenting on
how New Zealanders comply with the law requiring people keep to the left while driving.
Your correspondence was referred to me in my capacity as Director of the National Road
Policing Centre to provide you with a response.
Rule 2.1 of the Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 specifies that: “A driver must at al
times drive as near as practicable to the left side of the roadway” (unless an exception
applies, such as overtaking or avoiding an obstruction, etc.). This is enforced by Police
and in 2022 Police issued the fol owing infringements:
Failed to keep left of no passing line when passing or attempting to pass
801
Failed to keep left throughout lefthand turn
15
Failed to keep to the left
531
New Zealand Police is one of many agencies committed to
Road to Zero – New
Zealand’s road safety strategy with a vision that no-one should be kil ed or injured on our
roads, and a target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 40% by 2030.
Police’s primary role under
Road to Zero is to enforce land transport legislation and
promote safe road user choices. We do this by targeting our enforcement and prevention
activities to the behaviours we know cause the most harm across the network: impaired
driving from alcohol, drugs and fatigue, speed, distracted driving (especially from mobile
phones) and not wearing seatbelts or child restraints.
I thank you for taking the time to write. I wish you safe travels in the future.
Yours sincerely
Superintendent Steve Greal y
Director: National Road Policing Centre
New Zealand Police