This statement is usually made in support of keeping a 100km/h speed limit on roads that already have that speed limit. Show In Myth 4 we noted that, historically, speed limits on roads were set according to a road hierarchy based mainly on speed and mobility. There was less consideration of the safety benefits of adopting lower speeds. In the early days there was only a limited understanding of safety in relation to crash severity, vehicle occupant protection and vulnerable road users. This has left a legacy where people are accustomed to travelling on some roads where the speed limits are incompatible with achieving zero road trauma. Where high speed roads have the best/safest road infrastructure, the driver is alert and driving competently, and the vehicle is of a high safety standard then 100km/h may be a safe default speed limit. But until all of these factors are consistently in place there is no basis to assert that 100km/h is the right default speed limit. Many 100km/h roads have evolved over time and are carrying larger volumes of traffic than ever before. They were not designed as high speed roads. Often winding, hilly, lined with trees, poles and ditches, they are largely unsuited to high speed travel. They pose high risks to drivers and passengers if they are involved in a crash. Under Victoria’s Towards Zero road safety strategy such risk levels are no longer acceptable. Getting to a point where people drive responsibly and without error will take time, noting that the latter is never fully achievable. Upgrading infrastructure takes time and money, and may not be affordable for the whole network. In the meantime, a more appropriate speed for these types of roads would be 80km/h. When driving at 80km/h:
There are arguments that lower speed limits increase travel times. They will for those travelling long uninterrupted journeys, but not all journey on 100 km/h roads are long, or uninterrupted. The lower speed limit would have benefits for commercial operation, such as lower fuel and maintenance costs and reduced frequency of crashes (lower insurance premiums and lost time). There are also the environmental benefits of reductions in greenhouse gases, pollutants and noise.] The argument in favour of lowering the default speed limit on some roads is overwhelming. The potential for reduction in fatal and injury crashes, if the speed limit is lowered by 20km/h is significant – See Myth 2
The penalties for full licence holders caught speeding are:
Penalties for speeding offences - heavy vehiclesThe penalties for full licence holders caught speeding in a heavy vehicle are:
What is a heavy vehicle?Heavy vehicle speeding penalties apply to:
Red light camera offencesFailing to obey traffic lights, both red-light and red-light arrow, incurs a penalty of $462 and three demerit points. Unregistered vehicle offencesDriving an unregistered vehicle incurs a penalty of $925. Penalties for corporationsCompanies are directed to nominate the driver responsible for any operator onus offences (such as speeding, red light and level crossing offences) committed in a company vehicle. Once nominated, the fine is reissued to the driver at the amount relevant to the offence (for example: $231 for full licence holders caught speeding by less than 10km/h). If a company fails to nominate a driver, it is liable to pay a penalty of $3,698. Companies that fail to nominate a driver three or more times within a 12-month period contravene s 84BEA of the Road Safety Act 1986, and will be liable for a penalty of $22,190.00 (as at 1 July 2022). Demerit pointsDemerit points range from 1 to 10 depending on the seriousness of the offence. They accumulate and remain valid for 3 years. Visit the VicRoads website (External link) for more information on demerit points. This article needs additional citations for verification.(March 2022) Speed limits in Australia range from 5 km/h (3.1 mph) shared zones to 130 km/h (81 mph). 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][disputed ] Speed limits are set by state and territory legislation albeit with co-ordination and discussion between governments.
School zone speed limit sign in Western Australia 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. 130 km/h speed limits are found on the Stuart, Barkly, Victoria and Arnhem Highways in the Northern Territory 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:
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. 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.
The table below indicates the different speed limits that apply for these licence holders in each state.[25][26] The limits apply when the roads stated speed is above the licence's speed limit, e.g.: in NSW a person with a P1 licence can drive at a max speed of 90 km/h on 100/110 km/h signed roads.
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.[28] Additionally particular heavy vehicles (some buses and vehicles more than 13.9 tonne) and are required to have speed monitoring devices fitted.[29]
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 limitsThe urban default, which prior to the 1930s was 30 mph (48 km/h), 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 35 mph (56 km/h), with New South Wales being the last to change in May 1964. South Australia adopted 35 mph (56 km/h) on 30 November 1950, along with the "new short-right hand turn" in place of a hook turn.[30] Metrication led to the default urban limits of 35 mph (56 km/h) being converted to 60 km/h, an increase of 3.7 km/h (2.3 mph). In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the 60 km/h (37 mph) urban default limit was progressively lowered to 50 km/h (31 mph) nationally for reasons of road, and especially pedestrian, safety. However, many existing roads, especially subarterial roads in urban areas, have had 60 km/h (37 mph) limits posted on them. Queensland's Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Speed Controls) states that 60 km/h (37 mph) is the general minimum speed limit for traffic-carrying roads.[31] The Northern Territory has retained the 60 km/h (37 mph) limit; however, 50 km/h (31 mph) is also a common speed limit (particularly in residential areas). Rural limitsOutside of built up areas, a prima facie speed limit applied. In New South Wales and Victoria, speed limit was 50 miles per hour[32]: 31, 76 (80 km/h in New South Wales[32]: 76 after metrication). In the 1970s however, most state speed limits were gradually replaced by absolute limits.[32] An absolute speed limit of 70 mph (113 km/h) was introduced to Victoria in 1971, as a trial.[32]: 31 This was subsequently reduced to 60 mph (97 km/h) in late 1973. South Australia introduced an absolute speed limit of 60 mph (97 km/h) in 1974. With metrication in 1974, the rural defaults of 60 mph (97 km/h) and 65 mph (105 km/h) became 100 km/h (62 mph) and 110 km/h (68 mph) 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 100 km/h (62 mph) in 1979, replacing the limit of 80 km/h (50 mph)[32]: 11, 13 The Northern Territory introduced an absolute speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph) in 2007, along with 130 km/h (81 mph) zones on the Territory's four major highways. NT open speed limitsThe Northern Territory had no blanket speed limits outside major towns until January 2007, when a general rural speed limit of 110 km/h (68 mph) was introduced, although four major highways had higher 130 km/h (81 mph) zones.[33] Speed-limit advocates note that the per-capita fatality rate in 2006 was the highest in the OECD and twice the Australian average.[34] In 2009, the opposition (Country Liberal Party) unsuccessfully sought the removal of the 130 km/h (81 mph) 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 130 km/h (81 mph) limits were introduced.[35][36][37] In 2011 the opposition argued for a return to "open speed limits" .[38] For the 2012 election the Country Liberals' transport policy promised an evidence-based approach.[39] After winning government, de-restriction of Stuart Highway was proposed;[40][41] a planned 12-month de-restriction was initiated on 1 February 2014. The trial on 200 km (120 mi) of Stuart Highway was expanded later in the year to another 72 km (45 mi), and continued indefinitely in January 2015 during a review of the initial results since "in the first 11 months, there were no recorded fatalities."[42] From September 2015, a 336 km (209 mi) stretch of Stuart Highway between Barrow Creek and Alice Springs had speed limits removed for a 12-month trial.[43][44][45] 130 km/h (81 mph) speed limits were restored on 20 November 2016 due to the electoral loss of the Country Liberal Party.[46][47] Derestriction signs in NSWSpeed 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).[48] 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.[49] In the Northern Territory, they designated the end of speed restrictions.[50] 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 50 mph (80 km/h) limit applied. Derestriction signs remain in place but are officially no longer in use in NSW New South Wales's prima facie 50 mph (80 km/h) 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 120 km/h (75 mph) 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 100 km/h (62 mph) in 1978.[51][circular reporting?] The use of derestriction signs in New South Wales was officially discouraged, and on state controlled routes, 100 km/h (62 mph) signs were progressively used instead.
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