New Zealand turns the road rule corner
Source: Agencies |
March 24, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NEW Zealand is finally yielding to the rest of the world when it comes to a unique road rule, after decades of confusing drivers from overseas.
For nearly 20 years, New Zealand has been the only place on Earth to force vehicles hugging a turn at an intersection to yield to traffic making a wider arc across the intersection. New Zealanders drive on the left, but in the United States it would be like making right-turning traffic yield to left-turning traffic.
That will change at 5am tomorrow, when the country reverses the rules. The big question may be what took it so long.
The rules are "universally despised," said Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of car review website carandlemon.com.
"I've had several near accidents with foreigners who were unaware the rule even existed," he said. "The rule was a shambles from the beginning."
Just why New Zealand introduced the rule 35 years ago remains unclear. The Australian state of Victoria also toyed with a similar rule but abandoned it in 1993.
Some argue that the rules encourage civility by allowing cars making the more difficult turn to go first, but defenders are few. Some 77 percent of 6,000 drivers surveyed by the Automobile Association said they thought the changes will have either a neutral or a positive effect on safety.
The New Zealand Transport Agency, which implements road rules, says tomorrow's switch will speed traffic flow, reduce accidents and avoid an estimated one fatality and 97 injuries per year.
For nearly 20 years, New Zealand has been the only place on Earth to force vehicles hugging a turn at an intersection to yield to traffic making a wider arc across the intersection. New Zealanders drive on the left, but in the United States it would be like making right-turning traffic yield to left-turning traffic.
That will change at 5am tomorrow, when the country reverses the rules. The big question may be what took it so long.
The rules are "universally despised," said Clive Matthew-Wilson, editor of car review website carandlemon.com.
"I've had several near accidents with foreigners who were unaware the rule even existed," he said. "The rule was a shambles from the beginning."
Just why New Zealand introduced the rule 35 years ago remains unclear. The Australian state of Victoria also toyed with a similar rule but abandoned it in 1993.
Some argue that the rules encourage civility by allowing cars making the more difficult turn to go first, but defenders are few. Some 77 percent of 6,000 drivers surveyed by the Automobile Association said they thought the changes will have either a neutral or a positive effect on safety.
The New Zealand Transport Agency, which implements road rules, says tomorrow's switch will speed traffic flow, reduce accidents and avoid an estimated one fatality and 97 injuries per year.
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