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

  • UK road safety’ is stagnating’ – IAM and RoSPA call for new strategy
    July 1, 2016
    Independent road safety charity IAM RoadSmart and safety charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) have called for government action following the release of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) reported road casualties in Great Britain 2015. The 2015 figures show there were 1,732 reported road deaths – two per cent fewer compared with 2014. According to the DfT, this is the second lowest annual total on record after 2013. The number of people seriously injured in reported road tr
  • Road death toll increasing in poor countries, says WHO report
    February 20, 2019
    The latest figures from the World Health Organisation on road deaths make sobering reading – but they are particularly shocking when you consider how the relative poverty of countries contributes to high fatality rates, says Adam Hill Around 1.35 million people died on the world’s roads in 2016, while road traffic injuries are now the leading cause of death among young people, according to new statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO). Perhaps the most sobering point from its latest research
  • Electronic toll collection delivers efficient traffic regulation
    February 3, 2012
    Electronic tolling systems have been in use for decades now. Worldwide, steadily more and more tolling systems are being set into operation, providing efficient means for traffic regulation and financing of infrastructure. But despite this maturity enforcement is still not being given the consideration it deserves. Q-Free's Steinar Furan writes
  • High cost of French air pollution, report cites transportation
    August 5, 2015
    A report entitled Air pollution: the cost of inaction, published in July by the French Senate Committee of Enquiry estimates the annual cost of air pollution in France at €101.3 billion ($110 trillion), according to EurActiv France. The committee has described air pp0llution as an ‘economic aberration’ and has proposed measured including raising the tax on diesel and taxing emissions of the worst polluting substances. While overall air pollution has fallen in recent years, "the nature of the pollution