50 km/h Speed Limits

The ACT's 50 km/h default speed limit started 1 June 2003.

• Media Release (  PDF 21Kb ) (15th May 2003)
• 50km/h Trial Results (  PDF 851Kb ) (1st June 2003)

During April/ May 2003 the ACT adopted a 50 km/h default speed limit. To enable this change the ACT modified signage and changed laws to allow for the new default limit. This means that if you don't see a speed sign, it is 50 km/h.

The lower residential speed limit was in place for some time in many other parts of Australia and has led to a substantial reduction in road crashes and injuries in those areas.

In NSW, there was an overall decrease of 16% in crashes on roads where the 50 km/h speed limit was introduced. Much greater reductions were achieved in casualty crashes involving pedestrians, cyclists and older drivers, which fell by 60%, 40% and 33% respectively.

Everybody knows that the faster you drive, the longer it takes you to stop. The distance it takes to stop a vehicle travelling at 60 km/h is at least 10 metres more than at 50 km/h. This can make all the difference if a child suddenly runs onto the road or a vehicle unexpectedly reverses out of a driveway.

Driving at 50 km/h instead of 60 km/h gives you a much better chance of avoiding a collision and, if you do have a crash, the results are usually much less severe.

Many other countries, including New Zealand, Canada, Sweden, Germany, France and the UK, as well as most parts of the USA, have urban speed limits of 50 km/h or less.

The 50 km/h limit applies Canberra wide. Specific streets are determined on the primary use/function of the road. The speed limit will be 50km/h if a street is predominantly used to provide access to properties (in residential, commercial or industrial areas).

The speed limits on other streets will remain 60 km/h or above.

Not all streets with residential properties are limited to 50 km/h.

However, if a street is predominantly used to provide for traffic movements and access to arterial (main) roads, the speed limit has remained 60 km/h or above even if there are residential properties on this street.

50 km/h is the default speed limit in the ACT.

This means you must not exceed 50 km/h on a residential street unless there is a sign specifying a higher speed limit. All streets in these areas have a 50 km/h limit, except for major roads, which are signposted at 60 km/h, and school zones, which are signposted at 40 km/h.

Unless you are travelling on a road signposted at 60 km/h or higher, you must not exceed 50 km/h. If you are travelling on a 60 km/h road within the ACT, the lower limit will apply as soon as you turn off that road onto any road without a speed sign.

To ensure that interstate motorists are aware of the residential speed limit, advisory signs are installed at all entry roads to the ACT.

The 50 km/h speed limit is enforced by the police in the same way as all other speed limits in the ACT.

November 2009 - Speed (50km/h) campaign.

This campaign was launched by Chief Minister and Minister for Transport Jon Stanhope on the 5th November 2009. The campaign uses TV, radio and print advertising to encourage drivers to slow down in Canberra's residential streets and to obey the 50 km/h default speed limit.

The Television commercial can be downloaded from the road safety advertising page; Road Rules Reminders.