17677 Demonstrate Knowledge of Safe Night Driving

Explanatory notes

1Legal requirements relevant to this unit standard include:

Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Rule 1999;

Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Amendment Rule 2006;

Land Transport Act 1998;

Traffic Regulations 1976.

2Any new, amended or replacement Acts, regulations, Rules, standards, codes of practice, or NZ Transport Agency requirements or conditions affecting this unit standard will take precedence for assessment purposes, pending review of this unit standard.

3Definitions

Driving means being in control of a motor vehicle. Motor vehicles include motorcycles.

Night includes low-light conditions and twilight.

4Reference material

The Official New Zealand Road Code and Licence Guide for Car Drivers, The Official NewZealand Road Code and Licence Guide for Motorcyclists, and The Official NewZealand Road Code and Licence Guide for Heavy Vehicle Drivers (current versions) which are available from booksellers, reflect legal requirements but do not override governing legislation.

Outcomes and evidence requirements

Outcome 1

Describe the checks required to prepare a motor vehicle for night driving.

Evidence requirements

1.1The description includes checks required to ensure the vehicle lighting equipment is operating correctly and is suitable for night driving.

1.2The description includes checks required to ensure the vehicle equipment that affects driver vision is operating correctly and is suitable for night driving.

Outcome 2

Describe road-marking devices that assist night driving.

Evidence requirements

2.1Reflectors on marker posts are described in terms of colour, markings, purpose, and location.

Rangeleft and right side of road, corners, left and right side of bridges.

2.2Road surface reflectors are described in terms of colour, purpose, and location on the road.

Rangeleft side of road, centre line of road, no passing lines, fire hydrant.

Outcome 3

Describe night driving hazards and responses to those hazards.

Evidence requirements

3.1The description includes the circumstances when a vehicle’s headlights must be turned on.

Rangehigh beam, low beam.

3.2The description includes hazards associated with other road users at night.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – moving motor vehicles, stationary motor vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, animals, oversize loads.

3.3The description includes hazards associated with driving at night in adverse environmental conditions.

Rangetransition between day and night, rain, fog, one other condition.

3.4The description includes personal hazards that may affect night driving.

Rangepersonal hazards may include but are not limited to – wearing spectacles or contact lenses, fatigue, diet, age, sleep patterns, physical disabilities.

3.5The description includes hazards associated with a vehicle breakdown at night.

Rangea minimum of three hazards.

3.6The description includes hazard action plans for responding to night driving hazards.

Rangea minimum of three night driving hazards.

Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions

This CMR can be accessed at

Please note

Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the NZ Motor Industry Training Organisation (Incorporated) (MITO) if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.