When setting maximum speed limits, most states and territories in Australia follow the model national road rules. Under these rules: Posted speed limits are capped at 110km/h. Where there is a no speed limit posted, default speed limits are 50km/h in built-up areas, and 100km/h in rural areas.
Speed limits in Australia range from 5 km/h (3.1 mph) shared zones to 130 km/h (81 mph). Speed limit signage is in km/h since metrication on 1 July 1974.
There was no absolute speed limit in the Northern Territory before 1 January 2007 but maximum speed limits are now posted throughout the Stuart Highway. Previously, drivers were simply required to drive at a safe speed to suit the conditions.
All autobahns are divided roads with barriers on both sides with multiple lanes of traffic and a smooth surface. This is much like the Hume highway in eastern Australia where the speed limit is enforced at 110 kmh with average speed cameras.
Area Speed Zone – Applied to a network of roads. School Zone – Related to a school and applied to a network of roads. Heavy Vehicle Zone.
As of 2018 the highest posted speed limit in the world is 160 km/h (99 mph), applied on two motorways in the UAE. Speed limits and safety distance are poorly enforced in the UAE, specifically on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai motorway – which results in dangerous traffic, according to a French government travel advisory.
The highest posted speed limit in the country is 85 mph (137 km/h) and can be found only on Texas State Highway 130, a toll road that bypasses the Austin metropolitan area for long-distance traffic.
1. Great Northern Highway — 3195km. Thus brings us to the longest drive in all of Australia — the longest most remote paved road in the world, Great Northern Highway.
Highway 1 of Australia is with a length of 14,500 km (9,000 mi), the longest national highway in the world. It can be considered a giant "ring road" as it, except for a few shortcuts, follows the entire coastline of mainland Australia. Part of the road also traverses Tasmania.
Germany has to take the top spot in the world's fastest roads, not least because around 45 percent of the country's autobahns have no speed limit, although the advisory speed limit is 81 mph.
In other words, the police do not need to obey traffics laws, but only if they are exercising a power or performing a function as required. This means that the police are lawfully allowed to speed, drive through red lights and do other acts which would ordinarily be a traffic offence.
Located in Western Australia, the Great Northern Highway is said to be the longest most remote paved road in the world. It is Australia's ultimate road trip, taking in every kind of terrain, landscape and vista that Australia has to offer.
In NSW the maximum speed limit for a vehicle more than 4.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is 100 km/h. For certain road conditions, such as sharp bends, steep descents and winding roads, special speed limit signs may be posted for trucks, road trains and buses.
The New South Wales Government is considering a 120km/h speed limit on some major freeways, which would bring the state into line with much of the developed world. The highest permissible speed in NSW is currently 110km/h, but debate over whether or not this limit is now 'out of date' has increased in recent years.
The highest speed limit in the country is 85 mph (137 km/h), which is posted on a single stretch of tollway in exurban areas outside Austin, Texas. The lowest maximum speed limit in the country is 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) in American Samoa.
Open road speed limits
The signs below mean that the maximum speed that a light vehicle can travel at is 100km/h. However, the maximum speed heavy vehicles can travel at is 90km/h (except for school buses, which are limited to 80km/h). Maximum speed for heavy vehicles is 90km/h – 100km/h for light vehicles.
As a general rule, it's best to take a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours, and to not drive for more than eight hours in a day, to ensure you stay alert and avoid the associated risks of driving for too long without a rest.
The world record for completing a lap of Australia is 5 days, 13 hours and 43 minutes via Highway 1.
In reality, a full lap of Australia could be done anywhere between three to four months, but to take in the sights and enjoy yourself along the way, you'd want to leave about a year. For most people looking to experience the country, they don't have this kind of time.
The bulk of countries that drive on the left are former British colonies including South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Only four countries in Europe still drive on the left and they are all islands. They consist of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus.
Ballarat, Victoria, is the Australian city with the worst traffic jam, with an 8.3km gap between how far you can get during 30 minutes of peak and non-peak driving.
Between Balladonia and Caiguna, the road stretches for 145.6 km without a bend. This section of the highway, commonly known as the '90 Mile Straight', is regarded as the longest straight stretch of road in Australia and one of the longest in the world.
Germany was ranked highest by international respondents for having the best drivers, so it's not surprising that this country was low on the list of worst drivers, with only 2 percent of international respondents perceiving German drivers as failing behind the wheel.
However, it's Nunavut with no speed limits above 70 km/h that is the lowest in Canada and potentially the world. In Europe, The UK is among the slowest states with maximum limits of just 70 mph (110 km/h).
The fastest known speeding ticket was issued in May 2003 in Texas. The driver was operating a Koenigseggs CCR, a super sports car made in Sweden, and was allegedly going 242 mph (389 km/hr) in a 75 mph zone.