Aside from the obvious issues associated with driving on the left side of the road and the use of kilometres instead of miles, Americans will also discover a number of other differences. The rules of the road are contained in the Road Code and are set at the national level. So, once you have your New Zealand driver’s licence, there is no need to apply for a new one if you move to a different part of the country.
In New Zealand you don’t ‘yield’
the right of way to another driver, you ‘give way’
. And when you come to a roundabout or traffic circle in the road (these are common in New Zealand), you should give way to traffic coming from your right.
As in the US, you will need to renew the registration (licence) on your vehicle regularly. And, depending on the age of your vehicle, you will need to have the vehicle inspected for safety on a yearly or six-monthly basis. When you pass this inspection you will be given a Warrant of Fitness that is displayed on the vehicle’s windscreen (windshield).