Safe teen driver
2011-2012 NZ summer festival maps
- North Island festival map (JPG, 77KB)
- South Island festival map (JPG, 72KB)
North Island festivals
- High Life, Matakana
- Coromandel Gold, Whitianga
- Splore, Clevedon
- Raggamuffin, Rotorua
- Rhythm and Vines, Gisborne
- Le De Da, Martinborough
- Jim Beam Homegrown, Wellington Waterfront
High Life, Matakana, 31 December 2011
Matakana is approximately a 45 minute drive from Auckland along SH1. It's important your teen checks the route carefully before they leave.
Auckland's central motorway junction can be a challenge for anyone unfamiliar with the route. It's important to choose the correct lane early as traffic is likely to be heavy. Teens should practice driving on the motorway with their parents so that they're confident of the route before they tackle it on their own. They also need to be aware of keeping their car within their lane and being cautious of other traffic, especially traffic changing lanes ahead of them.
Also, the old northbound lanes on the Victoria Park Tunnel are shut and motorway traffic now drives through a tunnel.
Once over the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the motorway continues north and onto a section of toll road. The toll is $2 per trip for cars and motorbikes. The easiest way to pay is online at www.tollroad.govt.nz. Teens can use one of the kiosks at each end of the toll road but they're likely to be stuck in a queue and will have to pay an extra 40c for each transaction.
From Orewa to Warkworth and on to Matakana the road is narrow, windy and hilly and the Hill Street intersection at Warkworth (which is unavoidable) will be particularly busy at this time of the year. So they'll need to be prepared for heavy traffic and allow extra time to get to their destination.
To reach Matakana from the north use SH1 to Warkworth and allow time for the Warkworth intersection. Matakana can be reached by turning off earlier than Warkworth but it's not recommended because the roads are very hilly, narrow and unsealed in parts.
There is no street lighting on the roads north of Auckland. Inexperienced drivers may slow down suddenly when they can't see – which could cause a crash. It's important they practise driving in areas without street lights (with someone experienced) to gain confidence driving in the dark.
There's no camping, so your teen will need to have accommodation and transport back from the festival sorted before they leave.
Coromandel Gold, Whitianga, 30-31 December 2011
The new Kopu Bridge on SH25 will make the Coromandel Peninsula and surrounding area much more accessible and will reduce travel times considerably however, patience and allowing plenty of time is still important.
Roads in and out of the Coromandel are mountainous and winding, with many narrow one way bridges, which can cause delays. Teens will need to look out for the arrows that show which direction has priority over the one-lane bridges and be prepared to stop for vehicles coming the other way.
Many vehicles will be towing trailers and boats - there are few passing bays so teens will need to be patient, not tailgate and drive slowly and carefully. They should let the more experienced drivers pass them if they can by pulling over where it is safe. When the road narrows at the end of the passing lane, they'll need to indicate before they move into the single lane section.
The safe driving speed for most of the Coromandel is 80km/h, and the roads where they'll need to take extra care include the Thames Coast road and Kopu-Hikuai road, from the Kopu junction.
Splore, Clevedon, 17-19 February 2012
Driving south from Auckland leave SH1 at Manukau or Manurewa, your teen will need to follow the signs to Clevedon and then to Kawakawa Bay. From the motorway to Clevedon the road is generally flat with fairly gentle curves – they'll need to look out for speed limits and not lose concentration.
From Clevedon it's hillier, and then from Kawakawa Bay it's hilly and winding.
Aucklanders from around the Howick area will reach Clevedon by going over the hill and down a short winding stretch – they'll need to take care after the 50km/h of urban roads.
Coming from the south on SH1, they should turn off at Drury and follow the signs through to Clevedon.
From the south east and places like Thames on SH25 or SH27 they take East Coast Rd through Miranda to Orere Point. The road is sealed but as you approach Orere Point it's winding and hilly. Warn them to avoid the temptation to pick up speed – the narrow two lane road follows the coast and corners come up suddenly with steep drops to the beach.
Traffic will be busy – they'll need to expect holidaymakers towing caravans, trailers and boats. Many of these roads run through farming areas and on rural roads where stock, large tractors or wide agricultural machinery may be crossing the road early morning and late afternoon.
Raggamuffin, Rotorua, 27-28 January 2012
The roads from Auckland to Rotorua are good, but caution should be taken in high traffic volumes, likely to be from Auckland to Tirau.
The sections of road where teens will need to drive with extra care include; SH1 Huntly to Hamilton and Hamilton to Tirau (high crash areas) and SH36 - the Mangorewa Gorge is windy and extreme care should be taken.
There are currently road works on the SH1 Waikato Expressway (Te Rapa Section) road layout changes and temporary speed limits are in place.
Approaching Rotorua from the south there is likely to be plenty of traffic on SH1 between Waiouru and Taupo. The road is particularly winding on the stretch of desert road South of Turangi and immediately north of Turangi on the edge of Lake Taupo. Watch out for traffic pulling out onto the highway from the campsites next to the Lake.
Rhythm and Vines, Gisborne, 29-31 December 2011
It's a long drive – over six hours – from Auckland to Gisborne. Teens who have never driven for this long need to understand how important it is to take breaks at least every two hours and get plenty of rest before starting the journey. The same applies for coming back.
The most direct route is via SH1 and then the SH2 turn-off before Pokeno. Your teen can then follow SH2 all the way through to Gisborne via Tauranga. Whichever route they take, they'll need to be prepared for heavy traffic and delays, so they should allow plenty of time, especially through the extremely windy Waioeka Gorge between Opotiki and Gisborne.
The other sections of road where they'll need to be particularly careful because of high crash rates are on SH2 between Mangatawhiri and Mangatarata, the Karangahake Gorge between Paeroa and Waihi, Katikati, Tauranga and Te Puke.
The Tauranga Eastern Link Project has road layout changes and temporary speed limits in place.
Approaching Gisborne from the south, SH2 between Napier and Wairoa is particularly demanding with many narrow and winding sections of road and few passing opportunities. Large logging trucks use this road and sometimes leave little room on the narrower sections. It's important to slow down even more when approaching tight corners and narrow sections to make room for trucks coming the other way.
Le De Da, Martinborough, 31 December 2011
Martinborough is located in the south of the Wairarapa, one hour from Wellington and 30 minutes from Masterton - it's a rural area.
If your teen is travelling from Wellington on SH2, the Rimutakas are steep, narrow and very winding. There is a sheer drop at the road edge. It can be daunting the first time you drive it so make sure your teen knows what to expect.
They should allow plenty of time when travelling over the Rimutakas and avoid travelling on this section at night if possible. There are very limited overtaking opportunities and if they have queues of traffic building up behind them, they should pull over when possible, to allow faster vehicles past. Make sure they know how to do this safely.
On SH2 at Rimutaka Hill the Muldoons Corner improvement may slow them down. There is a temporary road surface and a reduced speed limit.
If coming from the North on SH2, the roads have many long straight sections. Despite this, with holiday traffic it can often be difficult to find a safe gap for passing slower vehicles. With heat haze on these roads it can sometimes be difficult to see oncoming traffic so teens should be extra careful when overtaking and turn their headlights on even during the day.
Jim Beam Homegrown, Wellington Waterfront, 18 February 2012
Wellington is a busy urban centre so you should get your teen to practice driving in busy traffic with you. Make sure they know how to plan their route through town so they can concentrate on handling the traffic and not be distracted by trying to navigate.
If they're coming to Wellington from the North on SH2 then the segment that winds through the Rimutakas should be driven with extra care. They'll need to allow plenty of time, especially through the road works on the Wellington side of the summit.
SH1 and 2 approaching Wellington from the north are busy motorways so teens need to practice driving on this type of road. They'll need to know how to anticipate what other vehicles will do, keep position in their lane and get into the correct lane to get off the motorway in plenty of time.
They should also think about parking options before they arrive as parking is limited in the city centre. It's not a camping festival so if they're staying overnight in town they'll need to make sure the car is safely parked and that they can get back to where they're staying by walking or public transport.
They should use public transport wherever possible. For Intercity National Bus Services, schedules & bookings go to www.intercity.co.nz. For trains, go to www.tranzmetro.co.nz. For public transport around the Wellington region go to www.metlink.org.nz.
South Island festivals
Luminate, Golden Bay, 1-8 February 2012
Most of the roads around this festival are narrow with only a single lane each way – it's a rural area close to many national parks.
SH60 up to Takaka Hill is steep, narrow and very winding with a sheer drop at the road edge. Teens should be prepared to take their time as opportunities to pass slow vehicles are very limited. They should avoid travelling on this section at night if possible.
There's only one road in and out to this festival so your teen will need to leave plenty of time. Canaan Road which leads to the festival is a gravel road which needs to be followed for approximately 10km. The road is very narrow in places, so will need to be driven carefully and at a low speed. You should make sure that your teen has experience of driving on a gravel road and knows to slow down and keep well to the left at sections where traffic coming from the other direction can't be seen.
The speed limit is reduced to 80km/h on some sections of the highway during the summer holiday period.
Rhythm and Alps, Terrace Downs Canterbury, 28-29 December 2011
Terrace Downs is approximately an hour's drive west of Christchurch via SH73 and 77. Even if they are using the main roads teens will need to take extra care at the numerous intersections and small towns on the route. The roads are likely to be busy so the bus service from Methven and carpooling options, which have been organised by the festival, could be good alternatives to driving the whole way.
Approaching the festival from the south via SH1 and then SH77 from Ashburton, the roads are mostly flat and straight so it can be easy to lose concentration or become distracted. It's important that teens have had a good sleep before the trip and take plenty of rest stops.
Rippon Open Air Festival, Wanaka, 4 February 2012
Wanaka is a popular holiday destination and there is likely to be plenty of other traffic around as people make the most of the long weekend. This could mean slightly longer travel times than usual and unexpected delays, especially since this time of year is the height of the road works season. When your teen plans their trip they'll need to allow plenty of time to get to their destination.
SH6 and 8 to the north and south of Wanaka have several sections of winding, rolling and mountainous terrain. Teens will need to take extra care especially on sections such as the Lindis Pass between Wanaka and Omarama, the Manuka Gorge between Milton and Lawrence and the Kawarau Gorge between Queenstown and Cromwell. Although the weather is generally dry and hot at this time of year, the roads can become especially slippery if it rains after a long dry spell.
