25 May 2018

Gypsy Day, the annual movement of livestock on June 1st is upon us and has the potential to cause danger for drivers, especially motorcyclists and those unfamiliar with rural roads such as tourists.

“Large numbers of cattle on the roads leaves slippery residue that can be extremely dangerous for other road users,” says Darren Cottingham, director of DT Driver Training. “Responsible farmers do try to mitigate the worst of the mud and effluent as they can be held liable if it contributes to a crash, but it is difficult to eliminate it all and if there is light rain it can be almost as slippery as ice.”

Guidelines for moving stock are issued by NZTA, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and local councils. They include the maximum head of livestock that can be moved at once, the maximum distance they can be moved, signage requirements and how many people must be available to control the mob.

“Motorists should look out for evidence of cattle being on the road – trampled verges, mud and effluent, and signage warning of livestock ahead, but also bear in mind that these might not be visible at night. Companies should warn their drivers if they will be heading into rural areas, and rental vehicle agencies should make their clients aware of the potential danger.”

Find out tips for driving around livestock.

About DT Driver Training

DT Driver Training is New Zealand’s largest supplier of online driver training. Based in Auckland, it operates in New Zealand, Australia and the UK, helping over 2.7 million visitors a year learn about driving. 700,000 New Zealanders a year use its website, including clients such as Mainfreight, Bidfood, Hastings District Council, NZ Taxi Communications, BCITO, Gallagher Group and Frucor. It is recommended by the New Zealand Institute of Driver Educators and offers courses for learner drivers, experienced drivers and forklift operators.

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