The simple answer is no.
Radar detectors are NOT illegal in New Zealand to buy, sell, or operate and it’s unlikely this law will ever change.
Over the last two decades, various governments have made noises about banning radar detectors in NZ but as yet nothing has happened and it’s unlikely to ever change. In fact there are articles available that support the use of radar detectors as safety devices.
This is from a New Zealand senior road policing inspector:
“Some people think it will enable them to speed and endanger the public without getting caught, but that’s not necessarily the case.”
Read the full story about the possibility of banning radar detectors in New Zealand here at Stuff from 2009.
The take a look at some of the self-professed “experts” all having a crack at what they THINK might happen even as far back as 2007.
There are plenty of Kiwis who assume radar detectors encourage unsafe driving. There are Kiwis who think we should all just “stick to the speed limit”. While we all accept speeding is dangerous, it’s also incredibly easy for even the safest, most alert driver to creep up to 34km per hour on any of the thousands of suburban streets around NZ. With “safer speed limits” now determined to be as low as 30km on some roads, it’s now even easier to get a ticket.
To make matters worse, it could be a week or two before you’re punished with a $35 ticket if you were snapped by a speed camera van. It’s a slow way to learn their lesson.
More NZ Radar Detector FAQs
