FAQs About Speed and Safety

Going a few kilometres faster or slower doesn’t make any difference to safety

Actually, it does. Speed is the difference between a correctable mistake and a fatal error. Every extra km/h increases the likelihood of someone being killed or injured in a crash. Regardless of what causes a crash, speed always plays a part.

A small increase in vehicle speed also has an immediate corresponding effect on the braking or stopping distance. If we need to stop suddenly, we have to take into account this stopping distance i.e. the time it takes for us to react to the sudden change in the driving environment, the distance our vehicle will travel from the point when brakes are fully applied, to when our vehicle comes to a complete stop.

Slowing down will make it take ages to get anywhere

Not necessarily. Research shows that going faster doesn’t save as much time as we think. Waiting for lights to change or traffic to move means total travel times don’t vary much, even if you drive 10 km/h faster.

Speed isn’t a problem, bad drivers are. Why aren’t you focusing on them?

Even the most skilled drivers make mistakes, and most drivers understand New Zealand’s roads can be challenging. Good speed management gives drivers the cues they need to judge the safe and appropriate speed for the road they’re on.

Why have these changes only focused on some roads? I can think of others where the speed limit should be changed.

The roads where speed limits will be changed from 1 April 2021 are based on those identified by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency as being in the top 10% that would benefit from speed management.

Others were identified through the submissions process or where there has been a change of land use and an expansion of land development.

This is an interim measure until new legislation expected later this year comes in that will allow a regionwide approach to review speed limits to take place. The Land Transport (NZTA) Legislation Amendment Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, includes aspects of speed management.

Aren’t you just trying to lower speed limits?

No. We've used local knowledge and data to make sure we’ve done everything we can to make your roads safer. Sometimes this means road improvements so it’s safer at the current speed limit, sometimes it means lowering the speed limit. The aim is to make sure roads have travel speeds that match the risk.