From 2025 drivers in Australia will get new details about school zone rules. The changes will help keep children safer when they walk to & from school. The main updates focus on new crossing areas near schools. These rules will apply during morning drop-off from 8:00 to 9:00 AM and afternoon pickup from 2:30 to 4:00 PM on school days. The government wants to make sure all drivers know about these safety rules to protect students who walk in these areas.

Expansion of 40 km/h Speed Limits at School Warden-Controlled Crossings

New speed limits of 40 km/h are now active at more than 100 school crossings with crossing guards across Australia. These speed zones work on school days from 7:30-9:00 AM and 2:30-4:00 PM. The old paper signs will be replaced with electronic speed signs on roads that normally have 60 km/h limits. This is part of a $10 million project in Western Australia South Australia and New South Wales. Some areas will see these changes by 2028. These updates aim to make school zones safer for kids by fixing problems with current crossings and safety zones that don’t match student needs and ages.

Stricter Enforcement on Speeding and Distracted Driving Offences

We need slower speed limits in school zones and stricter rules for speeding and distracted driving. Studies prove that driving slower makes it less likely for kids and people walking to get hurt badly if an accident happens. Every year many drivers break speed limits near schools. This is why we want car companies to help make better monitoring systems and support higher fines during school hours. These changes will make school areas safer for everyone.

Updated Operational Hours and Clearer Signage Requirements

School zones have special speed limits that work twice each day when kids go to and from school. These limits are active in the morning between 7:30-9:30 AM and again in the afternoon from 2:00-4:00 PM. The rules only apply on normal school days. You don’t need to follow these limits during weekends or any school breaks. Many areas now use electronic signs that light up at the right times. These signs help drivers notice the zones better and remind them to slow down. The signs can also turn on when students are crossing the street. This makes it easier for everyone to follow the rules and keep kids safe.

The new safety measures help protect kids when they cross the road. They also keep adults safe who assist children at crossings. Cars must drive slower and everyone needs to be more careful on the roads. Lower speed limits make accidents less likely to happen. When crashes do occur people get less hurt at slower speeds. These changes also help the environment because more children can walk or bike to school safely.

Phased Implementation Across Different Regions in Australia

The new speed zones are being added across different areas based on what each region needs right now. South Australia started putting up 40 km/h signs in mid-2025. They focused on busy road crossings where traffic patterns showed it made sense. Western Australia and New South Wales are also making good progress in changing their school zone signs & speed rules. The switch from old signs to digital ones will keep going through 2026 and beyond.

Driver Accountability – Compliance with Speed Limit Signage