Speed limit review
Thank you to everyone who made a submission to the Queensland speed limit review. The public consultation period has now closed. We received over 3,300 submissions.
The department has worked with local councils to identify 100 priority roads across the state. Speed limits on these roads will be reviewed over the coming months. Roads were prioritised based on frequency of public nomination, crash data and local knowledge.
List of roads for speed limit review
Road Name |
Section |
Geographic Area |
SL Too Low % |
SL Too High % |
SL Too Many Changes % |
Abbott Street |
Cairns |
Far North Queensland |
0.0% |
100.0% |
50.0% |
Aeroglen Drive |
Captain Cook Hwy to Cairns Western Arterial Rd. Include with Kamerunga Rd |
Far North Queensland |
64.3% |
7.1% |
7.1% |
Anzac Avenue |
Deception Bay Rd to Elizabeth Ave |
Greater Brisbane North |
25.0% |
25.0% |
100.0% |
Avalon Road |
Rochdale Rd to Mt Cotton Rd. Include Ford Rd |
Greater Brisbane South |
66.7% |
16.7% |
0.0% |
Beenleigh Redland Bay Road |
Pacific Mwy to Mount Cotton Rd |
Greater Brisbane South |
100.0% |
11.1% |
22.2% |
Bruce Highway |
Kolan River to Miriam Vale |
Central Queensland |
58.3% |
16.7% |
45.8% |
Bruce Highway |
Glenlee to The Caves |
Central Queensland |
64.7% |
11.8% |
17.6% |
Bruce Highway |
Gateway Mwy merge to Caboolture |
Greater Brisbane North |
81.7% |
5.6% |
25.4% |
Bruce Highway |
Bloomsbury to Proserpine |
Mackay/Whitsunday |
100.0% |
0.0% |
11.1% |
Bruce Highway |
Caloundra to Sunshine Mwy |
Sunshine Coast |
84.9% |
4.3% |
30.1% |
Bruce Highway |
Curra |
Wide Bay/Burnett |
72.4% |
6.9% |
31.0% |
Bruce Highway |
Tiaro |
Wide Bay/Burnett |
60.9% |
8.7% |
43.5% |
Burnett Heads Road |
Bargara Rd to Mittelheusers Rd (Alias Bundaberg Port Rd) |
Wide Bay/Burnett |
0.0% |
100.0% |
0.0% |
Capricorn Highway |
Dingo to Emerald (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Central Queensland |
81.8% |
9.1% |
9.1% |
Capricorn Highway |
Alpha to Emerald (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Central Queensland |
85.7% |
0.0% |
14.3% |
Captain Cook Highway |
Machan’s Beach Rd to Poolwood Rd |
Far North Queensland |
44.4% |
22.2% |
29.6% |
Captain Cook Highway |
Wangetti |
Far North Queensland |
57.7% |
26.9% |
7.7% |
Carnarvon Highway |
Surat to St George (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
71.4% |
14.3% |
0.0% |
Compton Road |
Beaudesert Rd to Logan Rd |
Brisbane |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Cooroy Noosa Road |
Sunrise Rd to McPauls Rd |
Sunshine Coast |
4.0% |
80.0% |
12.0% |
Creek Road |
Logan Rd to Old Cleveland Rd |
Brisbane |
33.3% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
Cunningham Highway |
Ipswich Mwy to Willowbank |
Brisbane |
87.5% |
0.0% |
7.5% |
D'aguilar Highway |
Moore to Blackbutt |
Scenic Rim |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
El Arish Mission Beach Road |
Bruce Hwy to Mission Beach |
Far North Queensland |
0.0% |
75.0% |
0.0% |
Elliott Heads Road |
Innes Park Rd to Elliott Heads |
Wide Bay/Burnett |
40.0% |
60.0% |
0.0% |
Forest Lake Boulevard |
Government Rd to Lochwood Ave |
Brisbane |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Francis Road |
Bray Park |
Greater Brisbane North |
30.0% |
50.0% |
0.0% |
Gateway Motorway |
Old Cleveland Rd to Nudgee Exit |
Brisbane |
80.6% |
2.9% |
28.2% |
Gateway Motorway |
Old Cleveland Rd to Pacific Mwy merge |
Brisbane |
82.4% |
2.7% |
20.3% |
Gateway Motorway |
Pacific Mwy to Logan Mwy |
Brisbane |
86.6% |
2.7% |
19.5% |
Gold Coast Highway |
Smith St to Hooker Bld |
Gold Coast |
28.6% |
42.9% |
28.6% |
Gooding Drive |
Pacific Mwy to Nerang-Broadbeach Rd |
Gold Coast |
100.0% |
14.3% |
28.6% |
Goodna Road |
Old Greenbank Rd to Logan City Boundary |
Greater Brisbane South |
100.0% |
0.0% |
20.0% |
Greensward Road |
Waterford-Tamborine Rd to Drysdale Ave |
Gold Coast |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Gympie Road |
Chermside to Carseldine |
Brisbane |
78.3% |
0.0% |
30.4% |
Gympie Road |
Carseldine to Bruce Hwy |
Brisbane |
79.2% |
0.0% |
33.3% |
Gympie Road |
Lutwyche to Chermside |
Brisbane |
75.9% |
3.4% |
27.6% |
Hawthorne Road |
Wynnum Rd to Lytton Rd |
Brisbane |
0.0% |
100.0% |
0.0% |
Herston Road |
Kelvin Grove Rd to Bowen Bridge Rd |
Brisbane |
71.4% |
14.3% |
57.1% |
Highleigh Road |
Moller St to Crossland Rd. Include Norman St |
Far North Queensland |
0.0% |
100.0% |
0.0% |
Ipswich Motorway |
Grenard Rd to Warrego Hwy |
Brisbane |
93.7% |
2.1% |
12.5% |
Ipswich Road |
Story Bridge to Ipswich Mwy. Include Main St |
Brisbane |
80.0% |
0.0% |
20.0% |
Junction Road |
Mt Crosby Rd to Arthur Sommerville Rd |
Ipswich |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Kennedy Highway |
Kuranda to Speewah |
Far North Queensland |
66.7% |
0.0% |
33.3% |
Kessels Road |
Logan Rd to Ipswich Rd. Include Granard Rd & Riawena Rd |
Brisbane |
68.7% |
0.0% |
56.2% |
Kingston Road |
Logan Mwy to Boundary St. Include Logan River Rd & Kingston Rd |
Logan |
66.7% |
16.7% |
16.7% |
Leichhardt Highway |
Gore Hwy to Moonie (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
83.3% |
0.0% |
16.7% |
Leichhardt Highway |
Taroom to Miles (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
75.0% |
12.5% |
0.0% |
Logan Motorway |
Ipswich Mwy to Pacific Mwy |
Greater Brisbane South |
90.3% |
3.1% |
15.4% |
Lutwyche Road |
Windsor to Lutwyche |
Brisbane |
78.6% |
0.0% |
21.4% |
Maleny Kenilworth Road |
Aherns Rd to Jager Dr (excluding speed limits through Conondale) |
Sunshine Coast |
0.0% |
66.7% |
33.3% |
Manly Road |
Wynnum Rd to Greencamp Rd |
Brisbane |
85.7% |
14.3% |
35.7% |
Marine Parade |
Bayview St to Gold Coast Hwy |
Gold Coast |
0.0% |
76.9% |
15.4% |
Maroochydore Road |
Bruce Hwy to Maroochydore |
Sunshine Coast |
84.5% |
4.1% |
33.0% |
Maryborough Hervey Bay Road |
Booral Rd to Pialba-Burrum Heads Rd |
Wide Bay/Burnett |
0.0% |
73.3% |
13.3% |
Moonie Highway |
Moonie to Dalby (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
88.9% |
0.0% |
11.1% |
Mossman Daintree Road |
Rocky Point to Wonga |
Far North Queensland |
20.0% |
46.7% |
13.3% |
Mount Cotton Road |
Old Cleveland Rd to Broadwater Rd |
Greater Brisbane South |
80.0% |
20.0% |
20.0% |
Mount Gravatt Capalaba Road |
Logan Rd to Broadwater Rd |
Brisbane |
44.4% |
0.0% |
44.4% |
Mount Lindesay Highway |
Browns Plains (Logan Mwy) to Park Ridge (Grainger Rd) |
Greater Brisbane South |
81.2% |
9.4% |
37.5% |
Mount Lindesay Highway |
North of Jimboomba to Beaudesert |
Greater Brisbane South |
60.0% |
15.0% |
45.0% |
Mount Nebo Road |
The Gap to Mount Glorious |
Greater Brisbane North |
50.0% |
37.5% |
37.5% |
Mount Samson Road |
Samford Village to Dayboro |
Greater Brisbane North |
5.3% |
84.2% |
36.8% |
Mudgeeraba Road |
Mudgeeraba |
Gold Coast |
92.8% |
2.0% |
15.8% |
Narangba Road |
Anzac Ave to Narangba |
Greater Brisbane North |
57.1% |
14.3% |
28.6% |
Nathan Street |
Townsville Ring Rd to Woolcock St |
North Queensland |
33.3% |
33.3% |
0.0% |
Ney Road |
Redland Bay Rd to Sheldon |
Greater Brisbane South |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Nicklin Way |
Caloundra to Currimundi |
Sunshine Coast |
16.7% |
50.0% |
50.0% |
Old Cleveland Road |
Jones Rd, Carina to Gateway Mwy |
Brisbane |
83.6% |
3.0% |
20.9% |
Olsen Avenue |
Smith St to Southport-Nerang Rd |
Gold Coast |
37.5% |
0.0% |
87.5% |
Oxley Drive |
Broadwater Ave to Brisbane Rd |
Gold Coast |
48.1% |
22.2% |
33.3% |
Pacific Motorway |
Tarragindi to Gateway Mwy |
Brisbane |
89.6% |
3.0% |
18.7% |
Pacific Motorway |
Riverside Expwy to Tarragindi |
Brisbane |
89.6% |
3.0% |
17.9% |
Pacific Motorway |
Gateway Mwy to Logan Mwy |
Logan |
90.5% |
3.5% |
14.5% |
Padstow Road |
Logan Rd to Mains Rd. Include McCulloch St |
Brisbane |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Payne Road |
Waterworks Rd to Illowra St |
Brisbane |
100.0% |
0.0% |
14.3% |
Peak Downs Highway |
Bruce Hwy to Walkerston |
Mackay/Whitsunday |
18.2% |
27.3% |
72.7% |
Pelican Waters Boulevard |
Pelican Waters |
Sunshine Coast |
0.0% |
42.9% |
14.3% |
Pialba Burrum Heads Road |
Craignish to Hervey Bay Rd |
Wide Bay/Burnett |
7.7% |
88.5% |
7.7% |
Pomona Kin Kin Road |
Williams Rd - Upper Pinbarrin Rd |
Sunshine Coast |
0.0% |
100.0% |
0.0% |
Reedy Creek Road |
Gold Coast Hwy to Pacific Mwy. Include West Burleigh Rd |
Gold Coast |
84.7% |
8.4% |
22.1% |
River Terrace |
Main St to Vulture St. Include Leopard St |
Brisbane |
16.7% |
83.3% |
0.0% |
Ross River Road |
Nathan St to Thuringowa Dr |
North Queensland |
88.9% |
11.1% |
0.0% |
Samford Road |
England Rd to Main St |
Greater Brisbane North |
87.5% |
12.5% |
6.3% |
Scenic Highway |
Emu Park to Yeppoon |
Central Queensland |
71.4% |
14.3% |
14.3% |
Sheridan Street |
Cairns |
Far North Queensland |
65.2% |
8.7% |
13.0% |
Smith Street |
Kumbara Ave to Gold Coast Hwy |
Gold Coast |
100.0% |
0.0% |
0.0% |
Steve Irwin Way |
Railway St to Bruce Hwy (Northern section) |
Sunshine Coast |
57.1% |
9.5% |
47.6% |
Stewart Road |
Currumbin Waters |
Gold Coast |
100.0% |
0.0% |
81.5% |
Tully Mission Beach Road |
Bruce Hwy to South Mission Beach Rd |
Far North Queensland |
37.5% |
50.0% |
0.0% |
Warrego Highway |
Kingsthorpe-Haden Rd to Jondaryan (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
73.5% |
2.9% |
32.4% |
Warrego Highway |
Macalister to Chinchilla (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
77.5% |
7.5% |
22.5% |
Warrego Highway |
Jackson to Roma (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
73.6% |
13.2% |
20.8% |
Warrego Highway |
Roma to Morven (excluding speed limits through towns) |
Downs South West |
78.6% |
11.9% |
16.7% |
Warrego Highway |
Gatton to Helidon |
Downs South West |
82.4% |
2.9% |
38.2% |
Waterworks Road |
Enoggera Rd to Settlement Rd |
Brisbane |
62.5% |
12.5% |
37.5% |
Wellington Street |
Shore St West to South St. Include Panorama Drive & Boundary Road |
Greater Brisbane South |
33.3% |
0.0% |
66.7% |
Wynnum Road |
Junction Rd to Manly Rd |
Brisbane |
58.8% |
11.8% |
58.8% |
Yeppoon Road |
Neils Rd to Appleton Dr |
Central Queensland |
85.7% |
14.3% |
42.9% |
Yorkeys Knob Road |
Captain Cook Hwy to Yorkeys Knob include Varley St |
Far North Queensland |
0.0% |
100.0% |
0.0% |
Frequently raised issues
A number of speed related issues were raised as part of the submission process. Below is some information about the most frequently raised issues to do with the speed limit review project and speed limits in Queensland
Default 50km/h speed limit
In Queensland, the default speed limit in built-up areas is 50km/h unless otherwise signed. Most built-up areas do not have 50km/h speed limit signs. The reason we do not sign most default speed limits is to avoid the confusion associated with signing some streets and not others as well as the substantial cost associated with signing every street in Queensland.
A local street has access to private property and/or limited neighbourhood movement. Some industrial and commercial areas also have local streets.
Get more information about default local street speed limits.
Differential speed limits
Differential speed limits are when separate speed limits are set for different lanes along the same section of road.
This idea will be considered, however, there are a number of issues that may make it impractical for use within in Queensland at this time. Research shows the lower the difference in travelling speeds between free flowing vehicles the lesser the chances of conflict on the road. The introduction of differential speed limits would create a new set of safety issues particularly for vehicles moving between those lanes.
Enforcement issues in your area
Several submissions to the review highlighted speeding and other dangerous driving practices on Queensland roads. The Queensland Police Service (QPS) operates a traffic complaints database that enables informed decisions about enforcement issues to be made. You are encouraged to report any incident of speeding and dangerous driving to your local police station. You can find your local police station online.
Another means of reporting instances of dangerous driving is the telephone hotline 13 HOON (4666). Trained staff are available to answer all calls and record details including vehicle registration, vehicle characteristics and location of the illegal activity.
How are speed limits set in Queensland?
Speed limits in Queensland are set by the responsible road authority; this can be either the Queensland Government or local governments, depending on the road. All speed limits in Queensland are set in accordance with strict guidelines to ensure speed limits are consistent and credible across the state.
Get more information about how speed limits are set.
Increased speed limits
As part of the speed limit review project we are investigating higher speed limits than are currently operating on some roads, but these will only be applied to roads that meet strict design criteria or have had recent road safety upgrades.
Is speeding really that dangerous?
Driving at any speed above the posted speed limit is illegal and dangerous. Speed is a major cause of road crashes. In 2012, 59 people were killed in speed related crashes in Queensland. This represents 21.1% (or over 1 in 5) of the Queensland road toll. In the majority of cases the people killed are the speeding drivers themselves, however passengers and other innocent road users are often casualties as well.
Research by the University of Adelaide's Centre for Automotive Safety Research has found that speeding is as dangerous as driving with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit. On urban roads, the research demonstrated that the relative risk of crash involvement on a road with a speed limit of 60km/h approximately doubled for each 5km/h increase in speed above 60km/h.
Get more information about the dangers of speeding.
Overtaking
Under the Queensland Road Rules it is an offence to drive in the right-hand lane of a multi-lane road where the speed limit is over 80km/h or where there is a ‘Keep Left Unless Overtaking’ sign, except in certain circumstances. These circumstances include where the driver is overtaking, turning right, making a u-turn, avoiding an obstacle or driving in congested traffic.
This rule is enforced by the QPS and the traffic infringement penalty is $66 and 2 demerit points. The maximum applicable penalty for this offence is $2,200.
For more information about safe overtaking please see our road rules fefresher pages on keeping left and overtaking.
Road works
Reduced speed limits at road works sites are for the safety of both road users and those working on-site. The speed limit review will not consider changes to speed limits at road work sites.
School zones
The issue of speeding though school zones is a key priority for the Queensland Government. We have recently introduced new initiatives to improve road safety at all Queensland schools. School zone operating times have been standardised across the State and road authorities are required to install enhanced flashing school zone signs at all multi-lane schools zones and split campus schools.
As part of a $10 million commitment to improve safety around school zones the Queensland Government will install enhanced flashing school zone signs at approximately 330 risk assessed school zones, covering 300 schools over the next 4 years.
Get more information on school road safety.
Speeding infringement notices
Enquiries relating to a traffic infringement notice issued by a police officer should be directed to the Officer in Charge of the station in the area where the alleged offence occurred.
Enquiries relating to a Camera Detected Offence notice should be directed to:
Traffic Camera Office
Queensland Police Service
GPO Box 1440
Brisbane, Qld 4001
Phone: 1300 360 610
Travel speed and fatigue
Driving faster to combat fatigue is a very risky and dangerous behaviour. While driving faster creates a short term perception of a ‘new’ sensation due to increased adrenaline levels, fatigue quickly leads to a decline in driving performance. This results in slower reaction time, diminished steering performance, a lesser ability to maintain distance to the car in front, and an increased tendency to mentally withdraw from the driving task.
Crash data and observations of driving performance show strategies such as driving faster are not sufficient to remove the excess risk. The only cure for fatigue is rest. Combining excessive speed with fatigued driving (slow reaction times) is a dangerous mixture.
Visit our Driver Reviver page for information about Queensland’s driver reviver program.