Speed Limits in Australia - Common Limits

Common Limits

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:

• within built-up areas, 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph), except for the Northern Territory which remains at 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph)
• outside built-up areas, 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph); two exceptions are Western Australia and the Northern Territory at 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph)

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 10 kilometres per hour (6.2 mph)
• School zones are variable speed zones, with a 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph) limit applying during gazetted school terms (which may include pupil-free days) and at specific times of the day when children are expected to be present. In South Australia, the limit is 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph). A minority of school zones have flashing lights to indicate when the lower speed limit applies.
• 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, or even in whole suburbs such as Balmain and Rozelle in Sydney.

Common speed zones above the default limits are:

• Many sub-arterial roads are zoned 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph)
• Major connector roads and smaller highways are zoned 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph), 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph), 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph) or 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph).
• Some highways and freeways are zoned 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph)
• The Stuart, Arnhem, Barkly and Victoria highways in the Northern Territory are zoned 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph).

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 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 almost all areas of the country including the Northern Territory. Tolerance is from 8% to 10% in most states but only 3 km/h in Victoria, an issue that has caused much controversy in that state, especially in light of the fact that previous 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' Detection measures used are radar, LIDAR, fixed and mobile speed cameras (using various detection technologies), Vascar, pacing and aircraft.