Waka Kotahi says it was "really disappointing' to see drivers in Wellington driving without lights on and too close to other cars when Cyclone Gabrielle hit on Wednesday.
Waka Kotahi, also known as the New Zealand Transport Agency, posted a video on social media showing drivers on various motorways in the Wellington region in heavy rain and poor visibility tailgating and with their lights off.
"It was really disappointing to see how many people were driving without their lights on yesterday afternoon, and how many weren't keeping a safe following distance in wet weather conditions. These are some of many examples we saw on the Urban Motorway and further north to Petone," the tweet said.
"Turning your lights on makes you more visible to others. Many of us drive silver, grey, or white vehicles, which can easily blend into the grey road, the grey sky, and the white spray of water. A good reminder is if you need your wipers on, you probably need your lights on too."
Waka Kotahi said it was illegal for drivers to be tailgating as they were in the video and nose-to-tail crashes result in disruption for other drivers.
Most Twitter users agreed with the messaging, with one commenting: "This is such a great message and a perfect use of social media to get it across. totally compelling. Thanks."
Another posted: "The amount of people I've seen today in Canterbury with their lights off was uncomfortable."
