New Zealand Car Driving Test New Zealand Car Driving Driving in Hazardous Conditions Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When driving on a flooded road in New Zealand, what is the recommended approach?
- Drive through quickly to maintain momentum
- Avoid entering if the water depth is unknown (Correct answer)
- Follow the vehicle ahead closely through the water
- Accelerate steadily to push water aside
Correct answer: Avoid entering if the water depth is unknown
You should never enter floodwater if you cannot determine the depth, as it may be deeper than it appears and could sweep your vehicle away.
Question 2: What should you do if your vehicle begins to aquaplane on a wet New Zealand road?
- Brake hard to regain grip
- Steer sharply to the left
- Ease off the accelerator and hold the steering wheel straight (Correct answer)
- Accelerate to drive through the water
Correct answer: Ease off the accelerator and hold the steering wheel straight
Easing off the accelerator allows your tyres to regain contact with the road surface without causing a skid.
Question 3: When driving in heavy fog in New Zealand, which lights should you use?
- High beam headlights for maximum visibility
- Low beam headlights or fog lights (Correct answer)
- Park lights only
- No lights to avoid reflecting off the fog
Correct answer: Low beam headlights or fog lights
Low beam headlights or fog lights illuminate the road ahead without reflecting off the fog and reducing your visibility further.
Question 4: What is the safe following distance during heavy rain on a New Zealand highway?
- The same two-second gap as in dry conditions
- At least a four-second gap (Correct answer)
- One car length per 10 km/h
- Close enough to see the vehicle ahead clearly
Correct answer: At least a four-second gap
In wet conditions you should at least double the normal two-second following distance because braking distances increase significantly on wet roads.
Question 5: You encounter black ice on a New Zealand road early in the morning. What should you do?
- Brake firmly to test your grip level
- Maintain a steady speed and avoid sudden steering or braking inputs (Correct answer)
- Turn on your hazard lights and stop immediately
- Shift to a higher gear and accelerate gently
Correct answer: Maintain a steady speed and avoid sudden steering or braking inputs
On black ice, sudden inputs can cause a loss of control, so maintaining steady speed and smooth driving gives you the best chance of staying safe.
Question 6: While driving in strong crosswinds on an exposed New Zealand road, what is the best practice?
- Speed up to pass through the exposed area quickly
- Grip the steering wheel firmly and reduce your speed (Correct answer)
- Move to the centre of the road for stability
- Closely follow a large truck for wind shelter
Correct answer: Grip the steering wheel firmly and reduce your speed
Reducing speed and holding the wheel firmly gives you better control when sudden gusts push your vehicle sideways.
