Speed Limits

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Up until 2007, the Northern Territory had open speed limits on its highways outside of its townships. This meant you could effectively drive at any speed in a 'open speed limit area' provided that it was not considered dangerous and was reasonable in the conditions. From my experience of travelling for countless hours and tens of thousands of km's along all our major Highways, most drivers would travel at around 120kph and perhaps go up to 140kph when overtaking.

On 1 January 2007, a maximum speed limit of 130kph was introduced for the NT's main highways, with 110kph becoming the maximum speed in other major roads outside of town boundaries. The new speed limits were introduced as part of a new 'Road Safety Strategy' to address our high road toll and also due to continuing Commonwealth pressure (obviously tied to Commonwealth funding benefits) to have a maximum limit like all the other States.

It now seems that many drivers have increased their average highway speed to 130kph to match the posted speed limit. :shock: In addition, the NT road toll continues to climb to outrageous levels... but interestingly this doesn't appear to be related to speed on the open roads. :? :roll:

It feels painfully slow when crossing the NT border and being forced to reduce your maximum speed from say 130kph to conform to the next States (Qld, SA, WA) posted speed limit, despite still traveling in a remote area. Anyone traveling into SA from NT will know just how painful this can be, especially when one of the police officers at Marla stops you and issues you a written reminder! :evil:

While I don't normally travel above 120kph when driving long distances, newer cars can easily cruise on this speed and higher. Indeed, which caravaners travelling in groups between 90-100kph and heavy vehicles (buses and road trains) often traveling between 100-110kph, its handy to be able to easily and lawfully pass them at a higher speed, if necessary.

When talking about the NT's speed limits to others, many appeared envious of the NT speed limits (especially before the 130kph restrictions were imposed). So what do you think?

:arrow: Should there be a consistent maximum speed limit for open roads (ie Highways) in remote across Australia, and if so, at what speed?

BTW - I generally only drive at 100-110kph in the Prado with the family on board to maximise fuel efficiency and range.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

I believe remote highways should be 130 km/h those being the Stuart, Barrier, and parts of Highway 1 in remote regions.

However I think it would be wrong to bring substandard highways up from 110. There is no way I would rate parts of the Pacific HWY above 110.

What I do find ludicrous is the slow speeds of some highways like the Golden HWY which is only 100 and could easily be put up to 110. Also the freeways that are dropped down to 80 km/h in places.

[bgreeni Member Find all posts View Profile Close bgreeni]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

I cannot believe how backward Aust. is WRT speed limits, and WA must be the worst.
After living in UK for a few years and driving extensivly in Europe, I found on returning to Oz and Perth that I was constantly "speeding"

In the UK every one regularly drove at 90 mphn (yes mph) on motorways, which were no different to say the Mitchel freeway here. In Perth part of it is an unbelvable 80 kmph. This change can only cause congestion as through traffic slows. Same on "A" roads in UK which are similar to many highways here - the speed was much higher.

The mantra "speed kills" is a lot of rubbish. It is poor driving and drink that kills. All this emphasis on speed is to justify the revenue collection by state govts through speed cameras.

The other gripe I have is school area limits of 40 kmph.

I go through 3 every day on way to work and never see a school student around any of them. One has a man proof fence along the side of the road so how can any kids be on the road.

Bruce

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

I think NSW has the better policy when it comes to school zones, at least there the limit only applies at certain times of the day and not all day like it does here in the NT. Our school limit times are from 7 am till 5 pm on school days. The schools get out just after 3 pm and by 3:30 pm the area around the schools are a ghost town.

[Spurio Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Spurio]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

Personally I agree that many of the speed limits are slow comparable to international standards. I totally agree with many speed limits being created with the potential revenue income as a significant factor with the decision.

WTF = variable speed cameras and avg speed over distance speed cameras.

However, many of the remote and outback roads experience a much harsher environment on the physical road material than in most of Europe, that being extreme heat making variability on road conditions inconsistent, plus many Australian's (the majority of population) have NFI on how to drive on a motorway let alone on a high speed country road.

Go to any motorway close to a city and you will always find some idiot driving slow in the fast line, or not moving over to the left, or tailgating by less than 5m the vehicle in front, overtaking on the left, or having no idea of their vehicle braking/handling characteristics, or not slowly down for the conditions, or being overly agressive if someone decides to pass them, or just in general by the way they drive using their less than 500 cc brain.

It sends shivers down my spine watching some of these driver's on our current 110km country roads. What scares me more, is watching them around road trains and other road users :roll: :roll:

Given that, I can not see how speed limits could be increased safely in Australia.

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

I think for relatively straight country roads a limit of around 130K's is warranted. The current limits were set when the best brakes on the planet were drum brakes and then only as an added extra. The modern motor vehicle is a hugely different beast and can safely handle speeds of 130K's. The problem comes where the roads have only been designed with a limit of 110k's in mind. The faster the posted speed limit on a stretch of road is the more gentle the corners need to become to allow vehicles to take the corner safely. Added into the mix is the crossfall (angle) of the road as it goes around a corner. All designed with 110k's in mind. Now I think there is a strong case for the limit to be raised to 120k's in lot of these areas because invariably, the odd speeder was taken into account with the design and cars are now that much better at handling the road. You learn a bit when you sit next to road engineers at work.

Say within 100 - 200k's of a major city, the limit drops to 110. Once you go past that zone though I think the limits should go up to at least 120. Then, where the landscape flattens out and road cornering is minimal and the road surface is in good condition, I think 130K's wholly doable. There are some damn good gravel roads out there. Some. On the very best gravel roads I might do 110 - 120, but rarely. On most gravel roads I'm back to 90 odd k's. A lot just aren't designed for speed at all. Unless you're a pro rally driver. So those would need to be signposted accordingly.

I think we have hit the point where speed is no longer the major factor in road deaths. The problems are social, with the people, out in the community. Those problems are very hard to deal with and so when the transport minister is pushed up against a wall and told to do something about the number of road deaths, to make it look like they are doing something, they table a reduction in speed limits. It's a face saving measure that's always fallen back upon when the spotlight hits the road death figures. The sad truth is that road deaths are now caused by people who don't give a damn what the speed limit is. So reducing them will do exactly nothing. You need to get drugs out of the community. You need to solve alcohol abuse, child abuse, domestic violence. You need to get better parent's into the homes of people having children. You see why that's such a can of worms? Nobody wants to go anywhere near it because the solutions aren't "quick fix", they will cost a fortune, and wont help any given government win the next election a mere 3 years away.

[Yota Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Yota]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

I dont belive "speed Kills", but arrogance does. Its the I'm better than you attitude that kills people on the road. Its not an easy issue to solve so speed becomes the scape goat.

Iron-paww hit the nail on the head, speed limits are set so politicians apear to be doing something. If the real problem is hard to solve, find something easyer to blame.
One thing that realy shits me is after a fatel accident, they will claim was caused by someone exeeding the speed limit, they then lower the speed limit more. If the accident was caused by someone speeding what does lowering the speed limt for everyone else solve. Its the same political mind set that banned semi auto rifles, Howard banned all semi auto rifles after Port Arther, although the gun used was already ilegal. Instead of addressing the real issues, like drivers arogance or how someone got an already ilegal firearm, they take the easy & popular option.

How do we lower the road toll? I belive attitude is the biggest cause of fatel accidents.
How do you change attitudes? I dont know lets just blame speed instead.

[Golly Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Golly]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

The other gripe I have is school area limits of 40 kmph.

I go through 3 every day on way to work and never see a school student around any of them. One has a man proof fence along the side of the road so how can any kids be on the road.

Bruce

All schools have to be treated the same, as soon as you change rules for one school, another will complain.
Sorry bud, but with parents these days dropping there kids off at school so early these days, all it takes is for a kid to dart out and your doing over 40kph, goodnight kid.... at least at 40 you can stop it on a 5c piece. I have 3 daughters and am a supporter of school areas being 40kph all day, and not just at school times. Children are brainless up until a certain year of age, so the more barriers we have to protect them, the more chance they have of actually growing up.

130kph on open roads I am a supporter of too, major connecting Hwys, Eyre, Great Norther, Great Eastern outside town areas for e.g.

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

[color=#FF0000] Children are brainless up until a certain year of age ......

Good call. There's actually quite a few studies that show that kids are not mentally capable of assessing all of the factors involved in crossing the road until they turn 17 (on average).

Even after working in a high schools (for the past 20 years) I'm still in favour of a 40 km/hr limit all day.
... but then we've still got bogun parents who drop their little darlings off at the door - then lay a burnout, the length of the staff carpark, on their way out.

Any kid, no matter how big, who is on the receiving end of that is a gonner.

Cheers
Chippy

[foxclan Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close foxclan]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

My speed limit gripe is with D*%# Heads on our Beaches here in S.A.
Recently we have enjoyed driving down the Goolwa beach to the Murray Mouth, and an afternoon
at Sellicks Beach South of Adelaide.
Both of these beaches where packed with people fishing, digging cockles and lapping up the sun. Kids were running back and forth from the water to the vehicles parked
high on the beach as kids do. The problem came from the w@nkers in their skyline/commodores that think the beach is a flat track land speed free for all, with no regard for the families that are using the Beach.
Local government and Environmental groups are already lobbying to have vehicle access to such beaches limited if not Banned.
Speed limits on all Metro Beaches should be 25kph in line with road work limits and school crossings.



DON'T SHUT DOWN THE BEACHES, SHUTDOWN THE DICKHEADS!

[lofty Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lofty]

Re: Maximum Speed Limits

DON'T SHUT DOWN THE BEACHES, SHUTDOWN THE DICKHEADS!

Agreed 100%

We regularly spend a really hot Saturday or Sunday on Aldinga Beach, often with a group from school doing a pancake breakfast

A couple of summers ago i waved down a council inspector and had a chat to her about exactly this topic. I suggested the council might get some temporary speed signs made like sandwich boards that could be put along the beach to re-enforce the sign at the car ramp.

She said, somewhat sheepishly, that yes the council had done exactly that, but on delivery of the finished signs, they realised they didn't fit in the back of the Suzuki 4wd they use on the beach!!! :shock:

I would love to see a radar down there, i think i am right in saying that all normal road rules apply.

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

Re: Speed Limits

I have to agree that the 40Kmh limits outside schools are a good idea. I also drive past 4 schools each day on my way to work. Curiously, one has a traffic warden but no 40k limit. Not sure why not, maybe because the school is across a large park ( I mean prettey big) from the road. So many fools rushing to get to work in the mornings, and with some of the chaos at the drop off zones, I never want to go any faster outside schools anyhow. However I was driving back into Sydney once (is it the M1?) through the Blue Mountains and the road is a major highway, with 40k zones dotted along it. That is taking it a bit far in my opinion as the school zones were a huge impediment to the flow of traffic along a major highway. Maybe Sydneysiders will know the spots.

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: Speed Limits

Is speed really a killer?

[FlyingBushPig Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close FlyingBushPig]

Re: Speed Limits

I agree a lot with matt's thoughts. Speed is a small factor in many cases.
I grew up in Tassie where only a few roads would be fine at 130Km/h but they are good roads.
In Tas, it's commonsense that lacks a bit I think. When driving at night there, standard headlights are simply not enough. Animals pop out from everywhere, so extra lights and very well kept brakes, suspension and tyre tread is pretty important. Unfortunately most teens and hoons would rather turbo/super charge their car before thinking about a brake upgrade etc.

On the speed drop across borders the "it feels slow" argument wont really work - 160 feels normal eventually..
I don't think it can be a national standard as various states are totally different - e.g. Tas v's NT.

[Chuck Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chuck]

Re: Speed Limits

Living in the Northwest of WA I think in certain places the speed should defiantly be 130kph.
Long distances with nothing in between & most people currently sit around that speed any way.