Frequently asked questions

FAQs – Safer Roads NSW website

• Q:

  What is the purpose of the Safer Roads NSW website?

  A:

  The Centre for Road Safety wants to hear opinions from the community about speed management in NSW. This site allows the public to have their say on speed limits and speed limit signs, as well as to suggest locations for speed camera enforcement on any road in the state. You can also sign up to receive email updates about changes to permanent speed limits within NSW.

• Q:

  Who can use this site?

  A:

  Anyone who uses NSW roads can use this website, including drivers, motorcycle riders, cyclists and pedestrians.

• Q:

  What is a speed limit?

  A:

  A speed limit is the maximum speed a vehicle is legally allowed to travel along a section of road and defined by the NSW Road Rules and the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Act 1999.

• Q:

  What is a speed zone?

  A:

  A speed zone is a length or an area of a road where a sign posted speed limit applies.

• Q:

  What is a permanent speed limit?

  A:

  A permanent speed limit is a speed limit which is in place 24 hours per day seven days per week and has been implemented after a speed limit review has been carried out.

  Sometimes temporary speed limits apply along some sections of road as a result of road works, 40km/h school zones or variable speed limits which are in place to suit driving and travel conditions.

• Q:

  What is a speed zone review?

  A:

  A speed zone review is a process carried out by authorised speed zone practitioners such as the experts in the Centre for Road Safety. Speed zone reviews include an analysis of crash history in and around the area, the shape, type and usage of the road, the environment around the section of road under review and other factors.

  More information about the processes involved in speed zone reviews is available on the Centre for Road Safety website.

• Q:

  How often are speed zones reviewed?

  A:

  Speed zones are prioritised for review based on crash trends in crash data or after requests from local councils, members of the public or other local community groups and organisations.

• Q:

  What is the NSW Speed Camera Strategy?

  A:

  In July 2011 the NSW Auditor-General completed a review of speed cameras in NSW and found that overall speed cameras change driver behaviour and have a positive road safety impact. The audit outlined a series of recommendations to improve speed camera enforcement in NSW including the development of an overarching NSW Speed Camera Strategy.

  The strategy has been developed by the Centre for Road Safety in consultation with road safety stakeholders such as NRMA Motoring and Services and the NSW Police Force. The strategy provides the community with a guide to the types of speed cameras used to meet specific road safety outcomes in NSW, site selection criteria and ongoing monitoring of camera effectiveness.

  The NSW Speed Camera Strategy aims to improve the transparency and understanding of the use of speed cameras in NSW through increased community engagement and education.

• Q:

  Why do speed cameras exist?

  A:

  Speeding is the leading cause of death on NSW roads, contributing to 40 per cent of fatalities and 17 per cent of injuries.

  Speed enforcement cameras have been proven to make the roads safer by encouraging drivers to slow down, reducing the number and severity of crashes, resulting in fewer deaths and injuries.

  Speed cameras work in conjunction with speed enforcement carried out by the NSW Police Force.

• Q:

  What types of speed cameras are used in NSW?

  A:

  There are four types of speed cameras used in NSW:

  • fixed speed cameras,
  • mobile speed cameras,
  • red-light speed (safety) cameras
  • point-to-point cameras (enforcing heavy vehicle speeding only)

  Fixed speed cameras are used on blacklengths of road and in locations where there is a history of crashes or where the road environment means there is increased risk of crashes occurring.

  Red-light speed cameras are used to improve safety at intersections, where there is an increased risk of ‘t-bone’ crashes, which often result in severe injuries and death more often than some other crashes.

  Mobile speed cameras enforce across the road network to reduce speeding anywhere, anytime.

  Point-to-point cameras enforce heavy vehicle speeding only along long stretches of road with a history of heavy vehicle crashes.

  More information about speed enforcement cameras is available on the Centre for Road Safety website.

• Q:

  How long will the site be available?

  A:

  The Safer Roads NSW website is a new, permanent service for the community.

• Q:

  Some reviews resulted in changes to speed limits, while others didn’t. Why?

  A:

  There is a wide range of criteria used to inform speed zone reviews. The review and setting of speed limits is a technical one and the NSW speed zoning guidelines are used to do this. The fundamental principle in setting speed limits for a particular length of road is that the speed limit should reflect the road safety risk to the road users while maintaining the ability of people to easily get to their destination. Key factors considered in the establishment of a speed limit include crash profile, road function, road use, roadside development, road characteristics, traffic mix, crash history and the presence of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicycle riders. Other factors may also include the number, type and frequency of driveways and intersections which indicate potential conflict points.

• Q:

  How will future submissions to Safer Roads NSW be used?

  A:

  Road users are encouraged to continue having their say about speed limits and speed limit signs through the Safer Roads NSW website. The submissions collected through the website will provide an ongoing source of information to help identify and prioritise other roads for speed zone review as part of an ongoing program.

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FAQs – Suggest a location for speed camera

• Q:

  How does suggesting a location for a speed camera work?

  A:

  When you select ‘speed cameras’ on the Safer Roads NSW website homepage you will be presented with a map which you can use to pinpoint the exact location relating to your submission on a map.

  The first step in making a submission involves searching for the location by street, suburb and town/city on the left hand side of the screen. The more specific you can be the better. When the general location is shown on the map you can use the pin pointer to identify the exact location your speed camera suggestion relates to.

  All submissions received will be acknowledged by an on screen confirmation and reviewed to determine if the location meets the site selection criteria in the NSW Automated Enforcement Strategy.

  Step two requires you to provide a brief summary of the reasons for your suggestion in the text box provided.

  Step three involves you entering your name and an email address so we can contact you about your submission if more detail is required. There is also a security screen where you will need to type in the displayed words.

  Before submitting your comment you need to tick both boxes to confirm you have read the terms of use and the privacy statement.

  The final step is to click the SUBMIT button. If your submission has been received successfully you will immediately receive an on-screen confirmation.

• Q:

  Can I suggest a speed camera location on any road in NSW, including local council roads?

  A:

  Yes. Although many NSW roads are managed by local councils, the Centre for Road Safety is responsible for the installation and use of speed cameras on all NSW roads where the locations meet the road safety criteria for enforcement. The Centre for Road Safety will work with local councils to ensure the locations are safe and appropriate.

• Q:

  Will I get an email response?

  A:

  You will immediately receive an on-screen confirmation when you submit your comment. The Centre for Road Safety will not respond to individual submissions but will use the information to determine future locations for speed camera enforcement. New locations will be announced before they are used and details of all new sites will be published on this website. The Centre for Road Safety may get in touch with you to find out more about your submission if required.

• Q:

  Are all submissions reviewed?

  A:

  All submissions will be reviewed to determine if the suggested location meets the site selection criteria for any of the four camera types included in the NSW Speed Camera Strategy or whether any other appropriate action is required.

  While all submissions will be considered, your submission may not be investigated immediately. The Centre for Road Safety will not respond to individual submissions but will use the information to determine future speed camera locations.

• Q:

  What will the Centre for Road Safety do with my submission?

  A:

  The information provided will be used to determine future locations for speed cameras in NSW. Submissions will not be published and your personal information will be protected in accordance with the website’s privacy statement.

• Q:

  What will the information I provide be used for?

  A:

  The information collected from the website will be used to gather data on individual locations, road lengths and areas where the community feel a speed camera would be beneficial. This will help road safety experts identify and prioritise future locations for speed cameras in NSW. The Centre for Road Safety may contact you if more information is required.

• Q:

  How long before my submission is addressed?

  A:

  You will immediately receive an on-screen confirmation that your submission has been received. Speed camera location reviews are complex and require crash data and other road safety data to make an accurate assessment. This process can take months.

  Suggestions made in the first six weeks will form the first phase of analysis and review. Suggestions made after this time will be collected and considered as part of the next phase of analysis and review. There may be cases where the nominated location does not meet speed camera site selection criteria or cannot be selected for safety or technical reasons.

• Q:

  Who is responsible for collating the comments?

  A:

  Road safety experts from the Centre for Road Safety will review and collate suggestions. This information will be used to gather data on individual locations, road lengths and areas where the community feels a speed camera would be beneficial. This will help road safety experts identify and prioritise future locations for speed cameras in NSW.

• Q:

  How will I know you have investigated my submission?

  A:

  All submissions made through this website will be collated for consideration as part of the process to identify and prioritise locations where speed camera enforcement may improve road safety.

  Individual replies will not be provided, however updates on new speed camera locations resulting from website feedback will be published on the Safer Roads NSW website to keep customers informed of progress. You can subscribe to email updates for changes to speed cameras and permanent speed signs within NSW via the email updates page. Click here to sign up for updates.

• Q:

  Why are the community’s opinions important?

  A:

  It is important to gather opinions from people who use the road network. People behind the wheel, riding a motorcycle or bicycle or who walk near roads often have specialist local knowledge which helps road safety experts identify locations where speed camera enforcement would provide a road safety benefit.

• Q:

  Why won’t the page/map load?

  A:

  This is possibly due to JavaScript being disabled in your internet browser. JavaScript needs to be enabled for Google Maps to appear. To learn how to enable JavaScript click here.

  The map application on this website has been designed to work on the following internet browser versions:

  1. Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or higher
  2. Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher
  3. Safari 4 or higher
  4. Opera

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FAQs – Have your say about speed limits

• Q:

  What comments can I submit through this facility?

  A:

  This section of the website has been designed to enable you to have your say about speed limits or speed limit signs on any road in NSW. There is also a map you can use to show the exact location relating to your submission. All submissions received will be acknowledged by an on screen confirmation and reviewed to determine if a speed zone review or other appropriate course of action is required.

• Q:

  How do I submit a comment?

  A:

  You can submit a comment in three easy steps on the Have your say about speed limits page.

  Step one requires you to select the topic identifying what your comment is about eg speed limits, speed limit signs or both. You also need to provide a brief description about your topic in the text box (there is a limit of 500 characters).

  Step two requires you to pinpoint the exact location relating to your submission on a map. Enter the approximate start and end point on the left hand side of the screen to identify the stretch of road. Once the road is highlighted on the map you can use the yellow pin pointer to identify the exact location of the speed zone or speed sign relating to your submission.

  Step three requires you to enter your name and an email address so we can contact you about your submission if more detail is required. There is also a security screen where you will need to type in the displayed words. Before submitting your comment you need to tick both boxes to confirm you have read the Terms of use, and the Privacy statement. The final step is to click the SUBMIT button to submit your comment. If your submission has been received successfully, you will immediately receive an on-screen confirmation.

• Q:

  Can I comment on any roads in NSW, including local council roads?

  A:

  Yes. Although many NSW roads are managed by local Councils, Roads and Maritime Services is responsible for reviewing and setting speed limits on all NSW roads. Roads and Maritime Services will work with local councils to ensure speed limits are safe and appropriate. For submissions about speed limit signs on local roads, Roads and Maritime Services will advise the relevant local council.

• Q:

  Will I get an email response

  A:

  You will immediately receive an on-screen confirmation when you submit your comment. The Centre for Road Safety will not respond to individual submissions but will use the information as part of the speed zone prioritisation and review process. The Centre for Road Safety may get in touch with you to learn more about your submission if required. You can subscribe to email updates for changes to speed cameras and permanent speed signs within NSW via the email updates page. Click here to sign up for updates.

• Q:

  Are all submissions reviewed?

  A:

  Yes. All submissions will be considered to determine if a speed zone review or any other appropriate action is required. The Centre for Road Safety will not respond to submissions but will use the information as part of the speed zone prioritisation and review process.

• Q:

  What will the Centre for Road Safety do with my submission?

  A:

  The information provided will be used as part of the speed zone review process. While the information you provide will be used to determine which speed limits require review, not all submissions will be investigated immediately. The Centre for Road Safety may contact you if more information is required.

• Q:

  What will the information I provide be used for?

  A:

  The roads identified will form part of the NSW Government’s continuing audit of speed zones, which considers whether speed limits are appropriate and whether signage is adequate. All feedback collected from the website will provide an ongoing source of information to help identify and prioritise other roads for speed zone reviews.

• Q:

  How long before my submission is addressed?

  A:

  You will immediately receive an on-screen confirmation that your submission has been received. Speed zone reviews are complex and also require crash data and road safety engineering data to make an accurate assessment. This process can often take a number of months. There may be cases where submissions are received however a speed zone review may not be warranted.

• Q:

  Who is responsible for collating the submissions?

  A:

  Road safety experts from the Centre for Road Safety will review and collate comments. This data will be used to help gather important information on trends of similar comments at individual locations or on the same route. This will help prioritise where a speed zone review may be required, or alternatively, where speed limit signage needs review.

• Q:

  How will I know you have investigated my submission?

  A:

  All submissions made through this website will be collated for consideration as part of the process to identify and prioritise roads that may require a speed zone review. Individual replies will not be provided, however updates on reviews initiated through feedback from the website will be published on the Roads and Maritime Services website to keep customers informed of progress. You can also sign up for email updates about changes to permanent speed limits within NSW.

• Q:

  Why is my view important?

  A:

  It is important to gather views from those who use the road network. The identification of any trends along routes will help prioritise roads which may require a speed zone review.

• Q:

  Why won’t the page/map load?

  A:

  JavaScript needs to be enabled for Google Maps to appear. To learn how to enable JavaScript click here.

  The map application on this website has been designed to work on the following internet browser versions:

  1. Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 or higher
  2. Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher
  3. Safari 4 or higher
  4. Opera

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FAQs – Sign up for email updates for changes to speed cameras and speed limits

• Q:

  How do I sign up for email updates?

  A:

  To sign up for email updates about changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits, complete the two steps on the Email updates page. You will need to provide your email address and select either Speed Cameras and/or Speed Limits.

  Once you have successfully signed up you will receive emails linking to information about changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits scheduled to take effect within NSW. Emails will not be sent if there are no changes planned to take place. The email may also include links to other changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits for your convenience.

  Before any speed limit changes take effect, information about the changes will appear in local press and signage notifications on site. All new speed camera locations will be listed on the Safer Roads website before sites are used for enforcement. Please observe posted speed limits.

• Q:

  What information will the email updates include?

  A:

  Email updates will link to information about changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits scheduled to take effect within NSW. The email will also include links to edit your subscription preferences and to unsubscribe from emails.

• Q:

  When will I receive emails?

  A:

  You will receive emails when you have signed up. Email updates can provide information about changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits scheduled to take effect within NSW. Emails will only be sent to you if changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits are scheduled to take place within NSW.

• Q:

  Will the emails be sent 24 hours a day?

  A:

  Emails will be sent during business hours every two weeks when changes to permanent speed limits are planned to take place. The time you receive the email will be determined by your email service provider.

• Q:

  Will it cost me anything?

  A:

  There are no fees to sign up for email updates. However your internet provider may charge to receive emails through your broadband usage.

• Q:

  What do I need to sign up for email updates?

  A:

  To sign up for email updates about changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits you need to have your own email address. The sign up process is completed via the Safer Roads NSW website, so you will also need access to the internet.

• Q:

  How do I unsubscribe from email updates?

  A:

  You can unsubscribe from the email update service at any time. Click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any Safer Roads NSW email update. Clicking on the link will unsubscribe you from email updates. You will then receive an on-screen message confirming you have successfully unsubscribed.

• Q:

  Unsubscribed in error?

  A:

  If you have unsubscribed from email updates in error click here to sign up again.

• Q:

  What if I change my email address?

  A:

  If you change your email address unsubscribe your current email address by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the foot of any Safer Roads NSW email update. Then complete the sign up process again with your new email address. There is no need to advise us of the change.

• Q:

  Can I change my subscription to my emails?

  A:

  You can change your subscription settings at any time. Click on the 'Unsubscribe' option within your email to remove yourself from receiving updates about changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits within NSW.

• Q:

  What if I sign up with an incorrect email address?

  A:

  If you have entered an incorrect email address complete the sign up process again with the correct email address. There is no need to advise us of the change.

• Q:

  What if I forget which email address I used to sign up?

  A:

  Complete the sign up process again, with the new email address. There is no need to advise us of the change.

• Q:

  How will I know I am registered?

  A:

  When you have completed the sign up process a ‘Thank you’ page will appear confirming your details have been recorded. A confirmation email will also be sent to your nominated email address.

• Q:

  I signed up but am not receiving email updates. Why?

  A:

  Email updates will only be sent when changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits are going to take place within NSW. If you have not received a notification, it is likely there have not been any changes within NSW at this time.

  However it is also possible the notification has been directed to a junk mail folder as spam. To help deliver your email updates, we recommend adding SaferRoadsNSWdonotreply@rms.nsw.gov.au to your email address book and safe senders list.

• Q:

  Can I sign up for email updates at Service NSW or through the Transport for NSW contact centre?

  A:

  No. Sign up for email updates can only be done online through the Safer Roads NSW website.

• Q:

  How will my personal details be used?

  A:

  To register for Safer Roads NSW email updates you will need to provide your name and email address. We will only use this information to notify you of changes to speed cameras and permanent speed limits within NSW. For more information, please read the Safer Roads NSW Privacy Statement. To register for email updates you need to have read and understood both the Privacy Statement and Terms of Use. There is a tick box during the registration process that you will be prompted to select before you can use the service.

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