visit raa.com.au
Late last year the State Government began rolling out a new time-based 40km/h speed limit at schools on main roads – where there was previously no reduction in speed on school days – to improve safety at schools near busy roads.
RAA supports the new time-based speed limits as an important initiative to calm traffic where children are often present.
New SA Police fine data, analysed by RAA, shows 24 drivers per day on average have been caught exceeding the new speed limits at the two schools that have a fixed safety camera – Marryatville High and Goodwood Primary.
Across 11 weeks of school (Week 9, Term 4 2025 – Week 10, Term 1 2026), 992 drivers were issued speeding fines for exceeding the 40km/h limit on Kensington Road (Marryatville High) and 202 were caught at Goodwood Road (Goodwood Primary).
A total of $694,037 worth of fines (including VOC levy) have been issued in that time at these two sites alone.
Both of these locations have flashing speed limit signs that display 40km/h on school days during the hours of 8:00 – 9:30am and 2:00 – 4:00pm to alert drivers of the reduced speed limit before they reach the school area.
The other 58 schools with the new speed limit, which do not have a fixed camera, do not have flashing boards but have several static signs alerting drivers to the time-based 40km/h limit on school days.
More than 160 schools will receive the new speed limit by the end of the year, with around 60 of these already in operation.
Crash data shows approximately 40% of injury crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists under the age of 16 occur between 8-9am and 3-4pm – highlighting the risks that come with increased traffic at these times.
It’s prompted an RAA safety reminder for drivers as school goes back for Term 2 today – meaning the time-based speed limits will again be in operation.
RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain said drivers need to be alert to reduced speed limits, especially near schools.
“Drivers ignoring the new 40km/h speed limits at drop-off and pick-up times may be putting children and other road users at risk around schools,” Mr Mountain said.
“The time-based speed limits have been operating at several schools on main roads since late 2025, and are being rolled out across the state.
“Drivers will be seeing more and more of these time-based speed limits pop up on their daily commutes – with around another 100 to be installed by the end of the year – and they need to pay attention to them.
“These new speed limits are important because they’re in areas where lots of children are often present as they’re heading to and from school, and children are some of our most vulnerable road users.
“Previously South Australia only had reduced 25km/h speed limits at school zones on local roads, and nothing on main roads where speeds are generally higher and where pedestrian crossings used frequently by schoolchildren are located.
“These part-time 40km/h zones bring SA into line with similar limits that have been used near crossings in other states for years.
“Drivers need to reduce their speed to 40km/h before the crossing and not increase their speed until they pass a 50 or 60km/h sign on the departure side.
“The new 40km/h speed limit on main roads does not affect the 25km/h speed limit at school zones on local roads that operates whenever children are present (even non-school days).”
For a full list of schools and more information visit https://dit.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/projects/40-km-h-school-speed-limits
There were 32 lives lost and 226 serious injuries on SA roads between January – March 2026, driven by an alarming…
Nineteen people tragically lost their lives on SA roads between 6 March and 4 April – equating…
Fifteen lives were lost on South Australian roads in March – the worst month since 2023 – with RAA warning the spike is a stark reminder ahead…