Speed limits in Australia

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Template:Short description Template:More citations needed

Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Speed limits in Australia range from Template:Cvt shared zones to Template:Cvt. Speed limit signage is in km/h since metrication on 1 July 1974. All speed limits, with the sole exception of the South Australian school and roadworks zones, which are signposted at 25 km/h, are multiples of 10 km/h – the last digit in all speed signs is zero.[1]Template:Disputed inline Speed limits are set by state and territory legislation albeit with co-ordination and discussion between governments.

Common limits

File:Australian Speed Limit Sign Sizes.png
Sizes of speed limit signs are specified by Australian Standard 1742.4 released in 2009
File:Start of School Zone speed limit sign in Western Australia.jpg
School zone speed limit sign in Western Australia
File:South of Monash Freeway with Speed Limit Sign.jpg
Most urban freeways in Australia have speed limits of 80, 90, 100 or 110 km/h. This example is of the EastLink tolled freeway in Melbourne.
File:Northern Territory 130 speed limit sign P6210051.JPG
130 km/h speed limits are found on the Stuart, Barkly, Victoria and Arnhem Highways in the Northern Territory
File:Australian Speed Advisory Sign.jpg
35 km/h speed advisory sign above a keep left sign

Australian states and territories use two "default" speed limits. These apply automatically in the absence of 'posted' speed restriction signage. The two default speed limits are:

Common speed zones below the default built up area 50 km/h limit are:

  • Shared zones (signposted areas where pedestrians and motorised traffic share the same space) are Template:Cvt.
  • School zones are variable speed zones, with a Template:Cvt limit applying during gazetted school terms (which may include pupil-free days)[2] and at specific times of the day when children are expected to be present. In South Australia, the limit is Template:Cvt. A minority of school zones have flashing lights to indicate when the lower speed limit applies. In Western Australia, every school has a flashing speed zone sign, most of which are solar powered.[3]
  • 40 km/h zones. A number of local governments have implemented lower speed limits, typically 40 km/h, in certain areas, such as shopping precincts, whole suburbs such as Balmain and Rozelle in Sydney, or areas with high pedestrian activity.

Common speed zones above the default limits are:

The "END" speed limit sign is increasingly used throughout Australia to signal the end of a posted speed restriction, or built-up area "default" speed-limit leading to the jurisdiction's "rural" default speed limit. It contains the word "END" and a number in a black circle beneath this, representing the ceasing speed-limit. It is typically used where, according to AS1742.4 the road beyond has certain hazards such as hidden driveways, poor camber, soft edges and other hazards where the road authority feels a posted speed limit sign might be too dangerous or otherwise unwarranted. It is intended therefore to invoke particular caution. This sign is used as a direct replacement for the slash-through speed derestriction signs common in Europe and elsewhere.

Speed limits are enforced in all areas of the country. Tolerance is about 6 km/h in urban areas and 9 km/h on highways depending on regulations of respective state such that driver driving on or below the tolerance speed will not receive a ticket.[5] This is the case in South Australia and other states have similar tolerances. One exception is Victoria where they will deduct 2–4 km/h in from the speed reading such that reasonable doubt is credited to the driver.[6] especially in light of the fact that earlier Australian Design Rules specified that vehicle speedometers may have up to 10% leeway in accuracy. This was updated in 2006 to require that the "speed indicated shall not be less than the true speed of the vehicle."[7] Detection measures used are radar, LIDAR, fixed and mobile speed cameras (using various detection technologies), Vascar, pacing and aircraft.

Default speed limits by state and territory

Despite introduction of model national road rules by the states in 1999, Western Australia and the Northern Territory retain different default speed limits. The table below indicates the default speed limits along with typical school zone limits and the highest zone in each locality.

In the external territories, and in some special cases (such as Lord Howe Island, NSW), the speed limits may differ significantly from those found across the rest of the nation.

State / territory School zone[8] Built-up area Rural area Highest speed zone
Australian Road Rules[9] number on school zone sign 50 100 number on speed-limit sign
Australian Capital Territory 40 50 100 100
New South Wales 40 on all roads 40 km/h or more
30 in designated 30 km/h high pedestrian activity areas		 50[10] 100[11] 110[12]
Northern Territory 40 60[13][14] 110[15] 130
Queensland 40 on roads 70 km/h or less
60 on roads 80 km/h and some 90/100 km/h
80 on roads 110 km/h and some 90/100 km/h		 50 100 110
South Australia 25[16] on roads 60 km/h or less 50 100[16] 110
Tasmania 40 on roads 70 km/h or less
60 on roads 80 km/h or more		 50 100 110[17]
Victoria 40 on roads 70 km/h or less
60 on roads 80 km/h or more		 50 100 110
Western Australia 40 50[18][19] 110[18][20] 110
External territories
Christmas Island[21] 40 40 90 90
Cocos (Keeling) Islands -- 30 50 50
Norfolk Island[22] 30 30 - Kingston Foreshore
40 - Burnt Pine Central Business District		 30 - Norfolk Island National Park
50 - Other Areas		 50
Special cases
Lord Howe Island[23] -- -- -- 25


Limits for Learner, Provisional and Probationary licence holders

The table below indicates the different speed limits that apply for each state's licence holders.[24][25]

The limits apply when the roads stated speed is above the licence's speed limit, e.g.: a person with a NSW P1 licence can drive at a max speed of 90 km/h on 100/110 km/h signed roads in any state. Conversely, a person with a Queensland provisional licence is not speed limited and can drive at the road's stated speed, even while in NSW where local provisional drivers are limited to 90 km/h.

State / territory Learner Provisional / Probationary
Australian Capital Territory normal limit normal limit
New South Wales 90 P1:90, P2:100
Northern Territory 80 100
Queensland normal limit normal limit
South Australia 100 100
Tasmania 90 P1:100, P2: normal limit[26]
Victoria normal limit normal limit
Western Australia 100 normal limit

Limits for trucks and buses

New South Wales has a limit of 100 km/h for heavy (more than 4.5 tonne) vehicles which is not a feature of the Australian Road Rules.[27] Additionally particular heavy vehicles (some buses and vehicles more than 13.9 tonne) are required to have speed monitoring devices fitted.[28]

Signage

Historical limits

File:Aupremetricspeedlimit.jpg
An old speed limit sign in New South Wales, signed in imperial system of units (15 mph speed limit, nowadays the 30 km/h speed limit). Prior to metrication, speed limit signs in Australia had the same design as the American MUTCD counterparts.

Historically, Australia operated a simple speed limit system of urban and rural default limits, denoted in miles per hour. As part of metrication in 1974, speed limits and speed advisories were converted into kilometres per hour, rounded to the nearest 10 km/h, leading to small discrepancies in speed limits. Also, the signage was changed from the design where the words "SPEED LIMIT" appear above the numeric limit (as specified in the current US MUTCD) to the design where the numeric limit is inscribed on a red circle (which is defined by the Vienna Convention and thus it became an international sign for speed limit).

Urban limits

The urban default, which prior to the 1930s was Template:Cvt, applied to any "built up area", usually defined by the presence of street lighting. Over the next 30 years, each of the states and territories progressively increased the limit to Template:Cvt, with New South Wales being the last to change in May 1964. South Australia adopted Template:Cvt on 30 November 1950, along with the "new short-right hand turn" in place of a hook turn.[29]

Metrication led to the default urban limits of Template:Cvt being converted to 60 km/h, an increase of Template:Cvt.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Template:Cvt urban default limit was progressively lowered to Template:Cvt nationally for reasons of road, and especially pedestrian, safety. However, many existing roads, especially subarterial roads in urban areas, have had Template:Cvt limits posted on them. Queensland's Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Speed Controls) states that Template:Cvt is the general minimum speed limit for traffic-carrying roads.[30] The Northern Territory has retained the Template:Cvt limit; however, Template:Cvt is also a common speed limit (particularly in residential areas).

Rural limits

Outside of built up areas, a prima facie speed limit applied. In New South Wales and Victoria, speed limit was 50 miles per hour[31]Template:Rp (80 km/h in New South Wales[31]Template:Rp after metrication). In the 1970s however, most state speed limits were gradually replaced by absolute limits.[31] An absolute speed limit of Template:Cvt was introduced to Victoria in 1971, as a trial.[31]Template:Rp This was subsequently reduced to Template:Cvt in late 1973. South Australia introduced an absolute speed limit of Template:Cvt in 1974.

With metrication in 1974, the rural defaults of Template:Cvt and Template:Cvt became Template:Cvt and Template:Cvt respectively. The 50 mph limit in New South Wales became a limit of 80 km/h.

New South Wales introduced an absolute speed limit of Template:Cvt in 1979, replacing the limit of Template:Cvt[31]Template:Rp The Northern Territory introduced an absolute speed limit of Template:Cvt in 2007, along with Template:Cvt zones on the Territory's four major highways.

NT open speed limits

The Northern Territory had no blanket speed limits outside major towns until January 2007, when a general rural speed limit of Template:Cvt was introduced, although four major highways had higher Template:Cvt zones.[32] Speed-limit advocates note that the per-capita fatality rate in 2006 was the highest in the OECD and twice the Australian average.[33] In 2009, the opposition (Country Liberal Party) unsuccessfully sought the removal of the Template:Cvt limits on three out of the four highways where it applied, arguing that total fatalities in the Northern Territory had increased significantly during the first two years of the speed limit. In argument against the motion, the government provided more detailed statistics than normally published; these statistics showed a reduction in fatalities along the highways where Template:Cvt limits were introduced.[34][35][36] In 2011 the opposition argued for a return to "open speed limits" .[37] For the 2012 election the Country Liberals' transport policy promised an evidence-based approach.[38] After winning government, de-restriction of Stuart Highway was proposed;[39][40] a planned 12-month de-restriction was initiated on 1 February 2014. The trial on Template:Cvt of Stuart Highway was expanded later in the year to another Template:Cvt, and continued indefinitely in January 2015 during a review of the initial results since "in the first 11 months, there were no recorded fatalities."[41] From September 2015, a Template:Cvt stretch of Stuart Highway between Barrow Creek and Alice Springs had speed limits removed for a 12-month trial.[42][43][44] Template:Cvt speed limits were restored on 20 November 2016 due to the electoral loss of the Country Liberal Party.[45][46]

Derestriction signs in NSW

File:Australia road sign R4-2.svg
Speed derestriction sign

Often the start of rural default 'limits' or prima facie allowances were signalled by use of the speed derestriction sign, catalogued R4-2 in AS1742.4. (2009 edition has dropped from reference the R4-2 speed derestriction).[47] The speed derestriction sign (//) had developed 'different meaning' over time at state and territory level, although its contract-meaning under Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals where the sign is catalogued C17a is "End of all local prohibitions imposed on moving vehicles" and has never changed.[48] In the Northern Territory, they designated the end of speed restrictions.[49] In Victoria and Western Australia they meant that the rural default speed limit applied, whilst in New South Wales, they indicated that the prima facie Template:Cvt limit applied.


File:YarrawarraRdSigns (cropped).jpg
Derestriction signs remain in place but are officially no longer in use in NSW

New South Wales's prima facie Template:Cvt limit, often signed by derestriction signs, was only enforced in cases where a driver's speed could be demonstrated to be excessive or dangerous in the context of prevailing road conditions. This was somewhat similar in principle to "reasonable and prudent" limits in other jurisdictions. This led to the widespread but misleading belief that no limit applied, and that derestriction signs indicated an "unlimited" limit. This belief, coupled with repeated studies showing 85th percentile speeds in excess of Template:Cvt on major routes, comparatively high road tolls, difficulty in prosecuting speeding offences, and the variance in meaning of the derestriction sign across states, led New South Wales to harmonise its rural default limit to Template:Cvt in 1978.[50]Template:Circular reporting The use of derestriction signs in New South Wales was officially discouraged, and on state controlled routes, Template:Cvt signs were progressively used instead.

See also

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References

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External links

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 18/03 – Instrumentation) 2006
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Template:Cite Legislation AU (2)
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  20. ↑ Template:Cite Legislation AU
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  27. ↑ Template:Cite Legislation AU (3)a
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ a b c d e Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/open-speed-limits-scrapped/news-story/33dcae476d0290f445965f1e74423871 Template:Dead link
  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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