Major connector roads and smaller highways are zoned 60 km/h (37 mph), 70 km/h (43 mph), 80 km/h (50 mph) or 90 km/h (56 mph). Some highways and freeways are zoned 110 km/h (68 mph). Most of the Stuart, Arnhem, Barkly and Victoria highways in the Northern Territory are zoned 130 km/h (81 mph).
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.
In Australia, we have various speed limits depending on the type of road and level of pedestrian activity. The maximum legal speed a car can travel at is 130km/hour, which exists in a section of a highway in the Northern Territory. Speed is the number one killer on Australian roads.
Motorway speed limits
The speed limit on the motorway is 70mph. There is no minimum speed limit, although the police might want a word if you're travelling at 35mph. The big signs on gantries above the roads that show speed limits with orange flashing lights around them are advisories.
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.
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.
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.
There is no official minimum speed limit on the motorway but travelling too slowly can be dangerous and you may attract the attention of the police. You could even be prosecuted for careless driving.
In New South Wales the speed limits range from 10kph to 110kph in 10kph increments, but the majority of roads will either be 50kph in urban areas, 100kph in rural areas or 110kph on motorways and freeways.
Safest time to travel on the motorway
From a safety point of view, the best time to travel on a motorway is from 6am to midnight. A major problem of driving at night or during the early hours is fatigue.
Drivers everywhere know they can be fined for speeding, but motorists can also be potentially fined for driving too slowly. Driving too far below the speed limit is an offence as it can be considered obstructing the path of other road users.
According to the NSW Road Rules you cannot drive so abnormally slowly that you cause an obstruction. An example of driving 'abnormally slowly' would be if you were travelling at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour on a road with a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour.
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.
When there is no stated speed restriction on the interstate, 55 mph is the safest driving speed on a rural highway. However, a safe speed on residential roads is between 10 and 25 mph. The fastest speed to drive is the posted speed limit.
The speed limit in all car parks and shared zones should be 10 km and clear signage erected to notify motorists, especially when approaching speed humps to eliminate driver discomfort or vehicle damage.
You must not increase your speed when the other vehicle is crossing a dividing line or the centre of the road to overtake you. When being overtaken, you should: stay in your lane. keep left.
Under current regulations, sections of the A1 dual carriageway have a speed limit of 70mph. However, many slip roads are unsuitable to safely accelerate to this speed.
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.
Typically, cars are most efficient at 45-50mph. As well as fuel economy differing from vehicle to vehicle, it is also dependent on a number of other factors such as tyre pressure, presence of roof racks, and driving style – all of which are covered in this guide.
The Autobahn: Germany's Highway with No Speed Limit. The autobahn, Germany.
Keep to lane one unless there's a build-up of slow-moving vehicles in that lane, when you can move over to one of the other lanes. However, you shouldn't stay there longer than necessary, particularly if you're holding up traffic.
A remote highway in Australia's dusty red centre is currently the only part of country where you can legally drive as fast as you want. But that is likely to end this year. The local government plans to reinstate speed limits along a 300km (180-mile) stretch of the Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Tenant Creek.
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.
Australia's Highway 1, also called the “Big Lap,” has two distinct designations, including the world's second-longest highway and overall longest national highway. It roughly connects seven of Australia's eight capitals.