New Zealand Traffic Hotspots: When is the busiest time to travel?

Mid-morning traffic is projected to be the worst time to travel this holiday season, but heavy traffic will drop in most places by mid-afternoon.

While traffic is expected to be poor on the border of most major centers, terrible traffic is expected along the entire Kāpiti coast.

Every year an average of 11 people are killed and 400 injured on New Zealand’s roads during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

The holiday road toll is two after accident after accident in south-east Auckland on Christmas Day.

Police previously reported that two people had been seriously injured in a single-vehicle accident on Clevedon-Kawakawa Rd at 7:30 pm yesterday. Since then, the couple has died.

Traffic heading north from Auckland decreased over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but will pick up today.

Heading south from the City of Sails, traffic congestion is forecast to be worst from tomorrow until December 30.

In the Kāpiti area, northbound traffic between Peka Peka and Otaki on State Highway 1 is expected to be slow between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. For those heading south, traffic would be worse for the afternoon from 1:00 p.m. M.

To help combat the amount of time stuck in traffic, Waka Kotahi has developed an interactive map that highlights the worst times, days, and locations to be on the go. (Scroll to the end of this story to see the interactive).

Waka Kotahi NZ Transportation Agency General Manager for Safety, Health and Environment Greg Lazzaro said this was a special time of year and he didn’t want anyone’s vacation to be marred by an avoidable tragedy at the roads.

“We are coming to the end of what has been a long and difficult year for many, and we all deserve a safe and relaxing vacation,” Lazzaro said.

“Deaths and serious injuries on our roads are not inevitable, and we must not accept that serious accidents are just another part of the vacation.”

National Highway Traffic Safety Manager Acting Superintendent Gini Welch said that with more cars on the road, there was naturally more risk, so it’s more important than ever that people stay focused when driving so everyone can get there alive.

“We all have to do the simple things to stay safe on the road. That means watching the following distance and keeping speed low,” Welch said.

“It also means resting before starting the trip and sharing the drive if possible.”

NZTA’s top tips for ‘driving safely, arriving alive’:

• Check that your car is in good “shape” before you set out: Check the tire pressure and tread, windshield wipers, gauges and lights.

• Take special care when traveling on vacation due to increased traffic, congestion, fatigue, and people driving in unfamiliar surroundings.

• Drive based on conditions – whether it’s the weather, the road you’re on, the time of day, or the amount of traffic.

• Avoid fatigue: take regular breaks to stay alert.

• Maintain a safe following distance from the vehicles ahead so you can stop safely.

• Be patient: overtaking is unlikely to make a significant difference to travel time due to the amount of traffic expected on the weekend.

• Allow plenty of time – Remember you are on vacation, so there is no need to rush.