Speed limits in New Zealand

[1] Emergency legislation during the Second World War had amended the general speed limit set by the 1936 Traffic Regulations to 40 mph in order to reduce tyre wear and improve road safety.

[5] On 4 December 1973, the default open road speed limit got dropped to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h); this was partly a fuel saving measure in response to the 1973 oil crisis.

However, it was then necessary to introduce the Land Transport (Speed Limits Validation) Bill in 2015 to confirm the legitimacy of the previous changes.

The "Road to Zero" strategy proposed reducing 87% of current speed limits, installing more median barriers and roundabouts and raising minimum standards for both new and used vehicles.

In February 2022, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the New Zealand Police launched a public awareness campaign to promote Road to Zero.

[10] During the 2023 New Zealand general election, the National Party campaigned on reversing the Labour Government's "blanket" speed limit reductions.

In March 2024, the Sixth National Government confirmed that it would be fulfilling its pre-election promise of reversing speed limit reductions.

Speed limit changes would require a cost benefit analysis that considers both safety and "economic impacts.

To be considered for a 110 km/h limit, the road must be a dual carriageway, with a median barrier, no at-grade intersections, and no corners rated for a speed below 110 km/h.

New Zealand speed limit signs follow the European model of a number inside a red circle.