40 km/h School Speed Limits

The ACT has the benefit of a well designed road hierarchy, in that most schools are not located on or near major arterial roads. 

Further to this, the ACT employs a 40km/h speed limit on designated streets in designated school zones. This reduced limit applies for the times and days marked on the school zone signs, typically 8am until 4pm Monday to Friday, and helps ensure a low speed environment near schools and school crossings.

The school zone signs are erected at the entrance to these zones and are designed to be “closed” or “open”. When “open” the zone is active, and when “closed” the default 50 km/h speed limit applies unless otherwise signposted.

The ACT school zone arrangements are considered to be an effective road safety engineering treatment. Very few incidents involving a child within school zones have been reported in the ACT.