South Island police are being kept busy with some reports of bad driving and heavy congestion, but no major road crashes have so far been reported.
Southern District Acting Senior Sergeant Ian Temple said highways in Otago, Invercargill and Queenstown were busier than usual and the single-lane Kawarau Falls Bridge near Queenstown had been congested all day.
He said police had received several reports of bad driving but overall behaviour on the roads had been good.
State Highway 1, south from Christchurch to Ashburton, and north of Christchurch, was also congested.