Qld road rule Facebook quiz stumps drivers with speed limit question

A simple question on social media about changing speed limits when driving in a built-up area has left motorists stumped.

A simple question posted to social media about driving in streets without maximum limit signs has left drivers stumped.

Queensland’s RACQ quizzed its Facebook followers yesterday with a diagram about turning into a street in a built-up area and how fast the driver would be allowed to travel on the new road.

“The blue vehicle was travelling on a 60km/h road and has just turned into a new road in a built-up area without a speed limit sign. What is the speed limit on this road?” the organisation asked.

After much discussion in the post’s comments, RACQ revealed that “in this situation the 50km/h default speed limit for a built-up area applies”.

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#QuizTime - the blue vehicle was travelling on a 60km/h road and has just turned into a new road in a built-up area...

Posted by RACQ on Tuesday, April 13, 2021

While the majority of Facebook users got the answer correct, some questioned the lack of signage and why there wasn’t a sign.

“Why can’t they paint the speed limit on the road?” one person wrote.

Others complained that the speed limit in their area was “constantly changing”, writing that they “spend half my time looking for signs or asking my passenger what the speed limit is here” – while some debated what a “built-up area” actually is.

“Interestingly, the road he’s turned onto has a separating line,” one man wrote.

“When the 50km rule was introduced, there was information about ‘what constitutes a built up area’ which indicated that built up areas do not have a dividing line in the road.”

“My understanding as a general rule of thumb and guide – a built up area is where the roads don’t have centre markings?” another person commented.

And always, some people simply came to the comments to malign the quality of other drivers on Australia’s roads.

“We’ve got 50k signs on our street and a 40 school zone. Drivers don’t seem to be able to read speed limits. At certain times of day and night it’s like living on the free way,” one woman said.

“Can’t get speed bumps apparently because we have speed signs. Probably take a child to get knocked down or worse before anything happens. 50ks in a built up area with or without speed signs.”

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Only the Northern Territory still has a speed limit of 60km/h in built-up areas.

The current road rule for speed changes in built-up areas came into play in 2001, with a report published by the National Road Transport Commission finding one-third of fatalities and injuries take place on local streets.

After the original change, states and territories began to follow suit – with the Northern Territory the only jurisdiction where 60km/h speed limits remain.