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Jan 08, 2024

Turning across highways, speeding up in passing lanes, and other open road humbugs

Other peoples’ driving in 100kph areas can often be the trigger for road rage,

Other peoples’ driving in 100kph areas can often be the trigger for road rage, but before getting grumpy behind the wheel, let's consider who might be in the right.

Looking at the rules for passing lanes, turning right, following distances and overtaking, we explore these driving situations below after readers of last weekend's roundabouts story contacted us with questions.

One issue that came up was turning right from a main road – either onto a smaller road or into a driveway.

For one reader who lives beside SH1 turning right, from the northbound lane, off the highway into her driveway has a few added complications.

If she wanted to first pull off the road to the left to let following traffic pass, there was only just enough room between the rumble strip and metal crash barrier, she said.

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To make things worse, the northbound lane expanded into a passing lane just past her gate, so if someone was slowing or even stopped and indicating right, there was a risk following traffic might confuse the intention to turn with an intention to overtake.

"In this case cars and reticulated trucks have to veer left in a tight squeeze between the metal barrier and our car," the reader said. "Which is the right and safest option? I usually go left and wait."

Here's what the Road Code says about pulling over to the left before making a right turn:

"If other vehicles are moving fast or following too closely, or if the road is narrow, it may be best to wait on the left-hand side of the road to make the turn, rather than stopping in the middle of the road and holding up traffic."

The advice includes all the usual safety checks, including signalling for at least 3 seconds, checking mirrors, and looking over your shoulder to check your blind spot.

If a driver is going to make a right turn from the road, rather than pulling over to the side, the Road Code includes the advice that – along with the usual safety checks - the driver should move towards the centre line to position their vehicle for the turn.

To all the drivers out there who travel below the speed limit until they reach a passing lane, and then speed up, this is what the Road Code has to say:

"If you’ve been driving slower than the speed limit, don't speed up when you reach a passing lane if other vehicles are following – give them the opportunity to pass you safely."

It also said that at passing lanes, drivers should stay in the left lane, unless passing another vehicle.

Here's the advice from the Drive driver training website, produced by Waka Kotahi and ACC, for using passing lanes:

Drive also mentioned that near the end of a passing lane drivers should "check your mirrors and blind spots for any traffic behind you, indicate and merge with the other lane".

Here's some of the advice for overtaking on the Drive website:

Before you overtake:

It also noted: "You’re not allowed to break the speed limit, even for overtaking."

From the Drive website:

Where two lanes merge into one:

When your lane comes to an end:

The Road Code said that one of the most important things a driver could do to be safer was to look well ahead.

Drivers should be scanning the road at least as far ahead as to the place they will be in 12 seconds, the Road Code said.

As a rough guide, at 50kph 12 seconds was 166m. At 100kph 12 seconds was 333m. "This means at 100kph you should look ahead as far as you can see."

Drive suggested a way to tell how far 12 seconds is: