New Zealand's motorcycle licensing system has no power restrictions at any stage. A learner can ride any engine size from day one, provided they hold a learner licence. The full licence requires passing a practical test, but there is no minimum period on a restricted machine and no graduated power progression equivalent to the UK's A1/A2/A system or Australia's LAMS. This means a new rider with no prior experience can legally ride a 1,000cc superbike after a brief learner period. New Zealand's motorcycle VMT death rate of 38.4 per billion VMT is the highest of the six countries in this dataset — more than double the UK rate.

New Zealand's road network includes a high proportion of narrow, winding rural roads with limited shoulders, steep gradients, and tight corners — particularly on the North Island's hill country and the South Island's mountain passes. Many rural roads were built to low standards and have not been significantly upgraded. The combination of challenging geometry, high posted speeds (100 km/h on most rural roads), and limited barriers means that run-off-road crashes are frequently fatal. Rural roads account for over 60% of NZ fatalities.

New Zealand has one of the oldest vehicle fleets in the developed world, with a high proportion of imported used vehicles from Japan. Older vehicles lack modern safety features such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), electronic stability control (ESC), and advanced airbag systems. The average age of vehicles involved in fatal crashes is significantly higher than in the UK or Australia. Waka Kotahi has introduced vehicle safety rating requirements for imported used vehicles, but the fleet takes years to turn over.

New Zealand has historically had a permissive speed culture, with a 10 km/h tolerance above posted limits widely understood (though not officially sanctioned). Speed camera deployment has been limited compared to Australia and the UK. The government's Road to Zero strategy (2020–2030) has increased enforcement investment, but speeding remains a factor in roughly 30% of fatal crashes. Rural speed limits of 100 km/h on roads with poor geometry are widely considered too high by road safety researchers.

New Zealand lowered its adult BAC limit from 0.08% to 0.05% in 2014, and introduced a zero limit for drivers under 20. Alcohol is involved in roughly 25% of fatal crashes. Drug-impaired driving is a growing concern — cannabis and methamphetamine are both detected in a significant proportion of fatal crash drivers. Roadside drug testing was introduced in 2023, but enforcement capacity is still being built. Rural areas have limited public transport, increasing the likelihood of driving after drinking.

New Zealand's pedestrian death toll (34 in 2022) is low in absolute terms, but the pedestrian VMT rate of 4.2 deaths per billion pedestrian-km is higher than the UK (1.8) and Australia (2.9). Urban pedestrian deaths are concentrated at intersections and mid-block crossings in Auckland and Wellington. Māori and Pacific peoples are disproportionately represented in pedestrian fatality statistics, reflecting inequities in access to safe walking infrastructure in lower-income communities.