Local laws

This page is being actively developed and is not yet ready for use. Its content should be considered unofficial and draft.

While the Australian Road Rules provide an arching framework for driving across the country, there are unique rules bespoke of each state and territory that editors need to be aware of. This page aims to capture the characteristics of each for quick reference.

ACT

NSW

NSW - Road lines and markings

Type	Can Cross To	Other Conditions
Single continuous centre line	Enter or leave the road Angle park on the opposite side of the road, without u-turning.	Cannot otherwise cross.
Double continuous centre line	Enter or leave the road by the shortest route.	Cannot otherwise cross.
Continuous centre line with a broken centre line (driving on the side of the broken line)	Overtake U-turn Enter or leave the road Angle park on the opposite side of the road, without u-turning.	N/A
Continuous centre line with a broken centre line (driving on the side of the continuous line)	See Single continuous centre line.	N/A
Painted islands	Drive up to 50m to: Enter or leave the road Enter a turning lane that begins immediately after Angle park on the opposite side of the road, without u-turning.	To drive on for more than 50m If the island: Separates 2 lines of traffic travelling in the same direction Is surrounded by double lines Separates the road from a slip lane.

NSW - U-turns

Intersection With	U-Turn permitted
Traffic lights	If signed with "U-turn Permitted" (Very uncommon)
Without traffic lights	At all intersections, unless signed with "No U-turn"

NSW - Default speed limits

area	default speed limit
Built-up areas - areas with street lights and buildings next to the road less than 100m apart	50 km/h
All other roads	100 km/h (unless signed otherwise)

NT

Qld

Queensland - road markings

Type	can	cannot
Single continuous centre line	Cross to enter/leave a road or property	Cross to overtake Cross to make a u-turn
Double continuous centre line	Only cross to safely pass bicycle riders	Cross in all other circumstances
Continuous centre line with a broken centre line (driving on the side of the broken line)	Cross to enter/leave a road or property Cross to overtake Cross to make a u-turn	N/A
Painted traffic island	Drive up to 50m to enter/leave a road Drive up to 50m to enter a turning lane Cross to enter/leave a road or property	Drive on/cross if traffic island is surrounded with double continuous lines

Queensland - u-turns

location	WHEN permitted
Traffic light (signalled intersection)	Only when signed with "u-turn permitted"
Non-signalled intersection	At all intersections unless signed with no u-turn sign
Others - children's crossings, level crossings, marked foot/pedestrian crossings	Only when signed with "u-turn permitted"

Queensland - speed limits

area	default speed limit
Built-up area	50 km/h
Outside of built-up area	100 km/h (unless signed otherwise)

SA

Tas

NSW - Road lines and markings

Type	Can Cross To	Other Conditions
Single continuous centre line	Enter or leave the road Angle park on the opposite side of the road, without u-turning.	Cannot otherwise cross.
Double continuous centre line	Enter or leave the road by the shortest route.	Cannot otherwise cross.
Continuous centre line with a broken centre line (driving on the side of the broken line)	Overtake U-turn Enter or leave the road Angle park on the opposite side of the road, without u-turning.	N/A
Continuous centre line with a broken centre line (driving on the side of the continuous line)	See Single continuous centre line.	N/A
Painted islands	Drive up to 50m to: Enter or leave the road Enter a turning lane that begins immediately after Angle park on the opposite side of the road, without u-turning.	To drive on for more than 50m If the island: Separates 2 lines of traffic travelling in the same direction Is surrounded by double lines Separates the road from a slip lane.

NSW - U-turns

Intersection With	U-Turn permitted
Traffic lights	If signed with "U-turn Permitted" (Very uncommon)
Without traffic lights	At all intersections, unless signed with "No U-turn"

NSW - Default speed limits

area	default speed limit
Built-up areas - areas with street lights and buildings next to the road less than 100m apart	50 km/h
All other roads	100 km/h (unless signed otherwise)

Vic

Victoria - U-turns

Location	When permitted
Traffic light (signalled intersection)	At any intersection where a right turn is permitted, unless a "no u-turn" sign is present
Non-signalled intersection	At all intersections unless signed with a "no u-turn" sign
Other locations	Only if there is no single or double continuous line down the centre of the road

Victoria - Default speed limits

area	default speed limit
School zones	40 km/h
Built-up areas, rural and metropolitan towns	50 km/h
Outside of built-up areas	100 km/h

• The default speed limit applies when there is no other speed limit sign on the road.
• Variable speed limits are used on some metropolitan freeways, such as the Monash Freeway and M80 Ring Road. In Waze these are usually set as 100 km/h as that is their speed limit most of the time. When an incident occurs on the freeway, these electronic signs can lower the speed limit to as low as 40 km/h depending on the situation, but they will flash brightly so that drivers are aware of this.

WA

Western Australia - speed limits

Area	default speed limit
Built-up area	50 km/h
Outside of built-up area	110 km/h

Area Speed Zones are also in place in WA. The entry to an area will have "Area" indicated, and that limit applies for all roads from that point. The end of the Area is signposted with an "END AREA" black text, with the speed zone limit in a black circle.

Variable Speed Limits are placed on the main Freeway State Route 2 (Kwinana Freeway currently, expanding to the Mitchell Freeway). These indicate a default speed on the gantry if the signs are blank, however in Waze they are mapped to the "usual" speed for the freeway. (For example, the main part is usually 100 km/h, however when blank the speed limit is 80 km/h.) Usual operations have the speed limit always showing on the gantry, with the lower limit a safety buffer if the freeway monitoring systems fail.

Suggested points of discussion:

• When u-turns are and aren't permitted
• Crossing unbroken lines
• Crossing painted traffic islands
• Default speed limits

To do:

Explore whether this information is be displayed in point form or in a table.

Example only:

U-Turns

Permitted at...	ACT	NSW	Qld	Vic
Non-signaled intersections		Never
Traffic lights			When sign permits
Whenever you want				Yep