Protecting students with a lower speed limit

Monday 29 September 2025

The rollout of 40km/h time-based speed limits on arterial roads near schools will begin in the coming months with new signage to be installed at schools across Adelaide to improve safety for students travelling to and from school. 

The first 40km/h signage will be installed at Marryatville High School, Goodwood Primary and St Thomas School in early November. 

These locations will be fitted with both standard and electronic speed limit signs to alert motorists of the changed speed limit, along with updated safety cameras.

The reduced speed limit will apply on school days from 8am to 9.30am for morning drop-off and from 2pm to 4pm for afternoon pick-up.

The speed limit won’t apply on weekends, public holidays or during school holidays, and the new 40km/h zones won’t replace the existing 25km/h school zones on local roads. 

This initiative aims to prevent serious incidents, such as the crash at Kensington Road near Marryatville High School in March 2023, which left two students seriously injured. 

A review of school crossings was undertaken following that incident, and it identified an opportunity to improve safety near schools by reducing speeds during peak crossing times.

Around 150 schools across the state will have the new speed limit implemented with all locations to have 40km/h signage by the end of 2026.  

The next schools to receive the new speed limit were chosen based on an assessment that considers the schools’ proximity to busy roads including factors such as traffic speed, volumes and crash history.

These locations will be rolled out with standard signage throughout November and December, and more school sites will have 40km/h time-based speed limits installed in the new year.

Students now crossing the road to school will be better protected as a lower speed limit gives drivers more reaction time to slow down and significantly reduces the chances of a severe injury or fatality if a vehicle hits a pedestrian. 

As the rollout of 40km/h signage progresses, new safety cameras will be installed at some locations where there wasn’t a camera previously, and existing cameras will be upgraded or replaced to enforce the new speed limit.

This initiative is part funded by the $168 million National Road Safety Program in partnership with Australian Government (50:50) and the $2.36 million budgeted for road safety as part of the 2024-25 State Budget.