Road signs in New Zealand

While New Zealand is not a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, road signs in New Zealand are generally close to the convention in shape and function. New Zealand uses yellow diamond-shaped signs for warnings in common with Australia, the Americas, Ireland, Japan and Thailand. Speed limit signs are a red circle with a white background and the limitation in black, and are in kilometres per hour. There are also some signs unique to New Zealand. Road signs in New Zealand are controlled by the New Zealand Transport Agency and are prescribed in the Traffic Control Devices (TCD) Manual.[1]

Most of these signs were only introduced in 1987, replacing older-style signs with white text on black backgrounds - square with a red border for regulatory signs and diamond with a yellow border. The only signs that remained the same were the Stop sign and the speed limit sign (although the "km/h" legend from metrication was removed). Some of these signs can still be seen on some rural roads.

New Zealand drives on the left.

Regulatory General

Speed limits are posted in multiples of 10 kilometres per hour [km/h] (6.2 mph), and range from 10–100 km/h (6–62 mph), with 100 km/h being the maximum legal speed for motor vehicles in New Zealand. The Manual of Traffic Signs and Markings specifies that advisory speeds (PW-25) always end in digit "5", however there are some advisory speed signs that do not comply with the Manual and end in zero.[2]

Regulatory Heavy

Regulatory Parking

No Stopping

No Parking

Parking

Class-restricted Parking

General Advisory

Permanent Warning

Vehicle Mounted

Temporary Warning

Vehicle Mounted


Supplementary/Non-classified

Route markers

Retired signs

New versions of the pedestrian-related warning signs use a fluorescent green background. New versions of the curve-related warning signs use yellow and black instead of black and white.

References

  1. Traffic Control Devices Manual. New Zealand Transport Agency. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
  2. Charlton, S.G.; de Pont, J.J. (2007). Curve Speed Management (PDF). Land Transport New Zealand Research Report 323. Wellington: Land Transport New Zealand. p. 22. ISBN 0-478-28735-6. Retrieved 26 September 2013.