Skip to main content

Driver feedback causes rise in Queensland speed limits

Following a public review of speed limits on Queensland’s roads, the Queensland police service has revealed a further reduction in speeding tolerances will begin in a bid to reduce the state's road toll. Transport Minister Scott Emerson said the speed review was one of 60 actions announced as part of the Newman Government's $350 million, two-year Road Safety Action Plan and revealed most of the 3,300 submissions to the review wanted increased limits. "About 52 per cent of the submissions identified speed
September 20, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Following a public review of speed limits on Queensland’s roads, the Queensland police service has revealed a further reduction in speeding tolerances will begin in a bid to reduce the state's road toll.

Transport Minister Scott Emerson said the speed review was one of 60 actions announced as part of the Newman Government's $350 million, two-year Road Safety Action Plan and revealed most of the 3,300 submissions to the review wanted increased limits. "About 52 per cent of the submissions identified speed limits being too low and 32 per cent as being too high," Emerson said.

Road Policing Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Mike Keating said police would continue to monitor compliance with speed limits and the impact on road safety.

"Our message today is drive to the posted speed limits; that is the maximum speed permitted to be travelled on the road at that time," he said. "As at midnight last night, the Queensland road toll was 201. This is six more road deaths than at the same date in 2012 and 27 more than at the same date in 2010. This is not acceptable."

Last year, it was reported that the state's antiquated camera system gave driver more leeway to speed than anywhere else in the country, as the system could not cope with a higher volume of fines.

Experts have also long called for the reduction, saying drivers factor in the unofficial speed limit.

Related Content

  • IAM responds to illegal phone use study
    February 26, 2015
    The UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists has responded to the Department for Transport study carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) into the prevalence of illegal mobile phone use while driving, saying that the results are disappointing but not at all surprising. The figures show that, in 2014, 1.1 per cent of drivers in England and Scotland were observed holding a phone in their hand with a further 0.5 per cent observed holding the phone to their ear, equating to more than 470,000 motorists
  • Urgent action needed as drink-drive figures stall, says Brake
    August 5, 2016
    UK road safety charity Brake is calling on the government to take urgent action after figures released by the Department for Transport (DfT) show little change in the number of people killed because of drink-driving. Government figures reveal that the number of deaths involving a driver under the influence of alcohol was 240 in 2014. That figure has been consistently been reported since 2010 and looks set to continue if the provisional estimate for the 2015 figures proves to be accurate (200-290 killed).
  • EU road fatalities fall by 11% in 2010
    April 20, 2012
    The European Commission has published new statistics showing that EU road fatalities decreased by 11 per cent in 2010. However, country by country statistics show that the number of deaths still varies greatly across the EU. Most countries achieved double-digit reductions in the number of road deaths over the past year, including Luxembourg (33%), Malta (29%) Sweden (26%) and Slovakia (26%).
  • Double penalties for motorists using mobiles
    March 2, 2017
    From 1 March 2017, UK drivers caught using a phone while driving will face tougher penalties. Under new legislation announced by the Department for Transport, offenders will receive six penalty points on their licence and a £200 fine, up from the previous three points and £100 penalty.