PGA Proposed reduction to default speed limits outside built-up areas

The PGA has lodged a submission opposing the federal government’s Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) proposing to reduce default speed limits on unsealed and unsigned rural roads outside built-up areas.

The submission argues the proposal is a blunt, poorly evidenced policy that targets the wrong problem. While the RIA acknowledges that distracted driving, particularly from mobile phones and complex in-car technology; is a primary driver of the recent reversal in road safety trends, it proposes blanket speed reductions rather than addressing those causes directly.

For regional and remote Australians, the costs are significant. A 20% speed reduction translates to roughly 200 additional hours per year on the road for the average farming operation, increasing driver fatigue, raising freight costs by an estimated 20%, and placing a disproportionate burden on communities that depend on rural road networks for work, healthcare, and essential supplies. The PGA calls instead for investment in driver training standards, distraction enforcement, and regulation of in-vehicle technology.