The need for speed: top 10 FAQs

Speed and speeding are an essential part of road safety in Australia. Even so, you may not always know what you can and can’t do when it comes to speed. greenslips.com.au has compiled a top 10 of FAQs about the need for speed and speeding.

1. Can you get caught for speeding only a few kilometres per hour over? ›
2. Do speed cameras reduce deaths and injuries? ›
3. Can motorcycles ride between cars in traffic jams? ›
4. Is speeding the main reason for crashes? ›
5. Can bicycles ride on the footpath? ›
6. Why do some people have a need for speed? ›
7. Can I speed if I’m overtaking? ›
8. How are speed limits set in NSW? ›
9. Can a speed limit be too low? ›
10. What are the penalties for speeding?< ›

1. Can you get caught for speeding only a few kilometres per hour over?

Yes, you can. There is no published tolerance for travelling even a few kilometres per hour (kph) over the limit. The Australia Standard used to allow speedometers to be 10% over or under the actual speed but this is no longer so. It is illegal to drive over the speed limit. However, NSW police do have some latitude to decide whether or not your speeding a few kph over the limit was unsafe at the time.

2. Do speed cameras reduce deaths and injuries?

It is widely accepted that speed cameras can help reduce deaths and injuries. Speeding fines rocketed when the NSW government stopped showing speed camera warning signs. This suggests people do slow down when there are speed cameras. However, the link between speed cameras and deaths and injuries is not always clear. For example, the Australian road toll in 2022 was the highest since 2017, even though there were more speed cameras than in 2017.

One neglected consideration is, just because drivers are staying under the limit at the speed camera does not mean they are driving safely. Speeding is not the only cause of death and injury on the road. Even though it is difficult to measure, distraction is also a big contributor to road trauma and it can happen at any time.

3. Can motorcycles ride between cars in traffic jams?

Yes and it’s called lane filtering. Lane filtering is where a motorcycle rider moves past stationary or slow moving vehicles  at 30 kph or less. However, if the rider moves past vehicles at over 30 kph, it’s called lane splitting and the practice is illegal.

4. Is speeding the main reason for crashes?

It may not be the main reason for crashes. While there’s no doubt speed is a big contributor to crashes, it is not necessarily the best predictor of crashes. It is easier to measure than, say, distraction. But excessive speeding often happens in combination with other factors, such as drink or drug driving, or unregistered driving.

Transport for NSW records the involvement of alcohol, speed and fatigue in fatal crashes in NSW. In the year to February 2023, excessive speed was definitely implicated in 36.3% of crashes (fatigue in 14.9% and alcohol in 10.3%). These are still the only 3 factors measured, leaving 38.5% of causes in that year unknown.

Some experts compare Australia with, say Germany, where motorists are allowed to drive at higher speeds but death and injury rates are lower. They suggest we need to learn better driving skills. Even so, some motorists don’t understand the danger of their need for speed. The impact of speeding could be described as the equivalent of jumping off the roof of a tall building and expecting to survive hitting the ground – in a vehicle rated 5 stars for safety.

5. Can bicycles ride on the footpath?

Usually, no. Children under 16 can ride on the footpath as long as there is no sign saying NO BICYCLES. Adults can ride on the footpath only if they are postal workers, supervising a child, carrying a child under 10, or have a medical reason. Of course, there are also designated paths that are purposely divided for pedestrians and cyclists.

6. Why do some people have a need for speed?

Some people speed because they are in a hurry, bored, or really enjoy driving fast. European research found the people most likely to speed excessively drive for professional purposes, earn high incomes or are young men aged 17-24. Men tend to speed more than women because of their willingness to take risks.

Other research found psychiatrists speed more than cardiologists and 20% of all speeders in one study drove a Subaru WRX. However, these studies do not state why. Speeding may simply be related to personality and the willingness to take risks.

7. Can I speed if I’m overtaking?

No, you can’t speed while overtaking. If you need to overtake, you have to judge there is enough time and space to overtake while travelling at or below the speed limit. It has been argued this is a dangerous approach when overtaking a long, heavy vehicle. However, it is illegal to speed while overtaking any vehicle.

8. How are speed limits set in NSW?

Speed limits are set in NSW according to NSW Speed Zoning Guidelines. Road safety experts and traffic engineers have developed them, based on international and evidence-based practice. The idea is that any speed limit should reflect the road safety risk while helping people get to their destination.

These factors affect the speed limit:

• Crash history
• width of lanes
• road function
• road characteristics
• traffic mix
• presence of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians
• driveways and intersections.

9. Can a speed limit be too low?

No. Even slight reductions in travel speed can substantially reduce the chance and severity of a road crash. For example, in the Sydney CBD , 90% to 95% of trips are made by pedestrians or cyclists. If a pedestrian and a car collide, their chances of dying depend on the impact speed:

• 30 kph – 5-10% die
• 40 kph – 25-40% die
• 50 kph – 70-80% die
• 60 kph – nearly everyone dies.

A low limit of 30 kph has started to appear in high pedestrian areas in cities because a collision at this speed is less likely to cause trauma. Not everyone agrees this is practical for motorists. Just because a road has a speed limit of 40 kph does not imply a collision will happen at that speed. The speed is low enough for a driver to see a pedestrian in time. It seems low speed limits can be as controversial as high limits.

10. What are the penalties for speeding?

The fines for speeding in NSW are heavy. Speeding offences apply to each class of vehicle, inside and outside school zones, and vary according to licence status. Demerit points always apply to any type of speeding offence.

These fines are for Class A vehicles as at 10 February 2023:

 Gov source:

Speeding in NSW will certainly cost you. If you receive a speeding ticket and a demerit point or more, your green slip will be more expensive too.