Stories of serious road accidents where speed was a major factor are all too common. But the truth is, despite the threat of speeding fines in Australia, you’d be hard-pressed to find a motorist who hasn’t nudged the speed limit at some stage. In fact, research from the Australian Road Safety Foundation indicates that, in March 2022, more than 50% of road-users admitted to speeding.1
“Speeding is among the fatal five, which suggests it is one of the largest contributors to road crash fatalities and injuries on our roads,” says Dr Verity Truelove, senior research fellow at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Road Safety Research Collaboration.2
The fatal five are behaviours that are responsible for the majority of fatal traffic accidents and include speeding, drink or drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, driving tired, and distracted driving.
“For example, New South Wales reports that about 41% of road fatalities and 24% of serious road injuries are attributed to speeding yearly,3 while in Queensland in 2020, nearly 1 in 4 road crash fatalities involved a speeding driver (or rider), which was an increase since 2015,” Truelove says.4
The science of speeding
Exactly why is speeding so dangerous? It’s pretty simple – vehicle speed directly affects the force of any impact and the resulting trauma to passengers. With increased speed, the amount of energy released in a crash increases. Some of this energy will be absorbed by the human body, and only so much force can be absorbed before death or injury occurs.5
A 2022 Transport for NSW fact sheet reveals the following:
- There is a 10% risk that a pedestrian will be killed if hit by a modern car that is travelling at 30km/h. The risk of pedestrian fatality increases to 90% at 50km/h.5
- In a head-on collision with another vehicle, there is a 10% risk of a driver/passenger being killed at collision speeds up to 70km/h. At 90km/h the risk reaches 80%.5
Speeding also leaves drivers less time to react to hazards while the distance travelled before coming to a stop is greater.5
It’s worth noting that demerit points incurred through speeding may impact your car insurance premium.
Why are there penalties for speeding?
Australia has a 10-year strategy to improve safety on our roads, including a boost to road safety community education programs targeting several high-risk behaviours including speeding.6
In addition to stricter enforcement of penalties for speeding (including fines, demerit points and, in some cases licence suspension), the strategy recommends further education around the dangers of speeding starting with school-aged children.6
“Demerit points and fines can be effective ways to prevent speeding; however, attitude change is also very important,” says Truelove.
“People need to be aware that speeding not only increases the chance of crashing, but also increases the severity of the crash.”
Where does all the money from fines go in Australia?
While state governments are often suspected of treating fines as a revenue-raising exercise, there are now programs in some states directing the revenue straight back into road safety programs.
For example, in New South Wales, every dollar from speed camera penalties goes directly into the Community Road Safety Fund, which delivers targeted road safety initiatives in NSW, such as flashing lights for schools, life-saving infrastructure safety treatments, high-visibility police enforcement and public education campaigns.7
In Queensland, money collected from camera fines funds road safety education and awareness, the improvement of road-safe practices and the rehabilitation of people injured in road crashes. The Camera Detected Offence Program also funds infrastructure and technologies to improve the safety of state-controlled roads.8
In 2022, the state introduced increased penalties for a number of dangerous driving offences in an effort to reduce road trauma.
How much are speeding fines in Australia?
Speeding fines vary across the states and territories. Below is a breakdown of fines and demerit points/suspensions for key speeding offences in each jurisdiction (data collated August 2023).
Speeding fines in the ACT
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by less than 15km/h | $316 | 1 point |
| Exceed speed by less than 15km/h in a school zone | $342 | 1 point |
| Exceed speed between 15km/h and 30km/h | $468 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed between 15km/h and 30km/h in a school zone | $511 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed between 30km/h and 45km/h | $700 | 4 points |
| Exceed speed between 30km/h and 45km/h in a school zone | $799 | 4 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 45km/h | $1,841 | 6 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 45km/h in a school zone | $2,136 | 6 points |
Click here for a full list of ACT speeding (and other) offences and penalties.9
What is the cost of speeding fines in NSW?
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by less than 10 km/h | $128 | 1 point (4 points for Learner/Provisional licence holders) |
| Exceed speed by less than 10 km/h in a school zone | $211 | 2 points (5 points for Learner/Provisional licence holders) |
| Exceed speed by more than 10 km/h | $295 | 3 points (4 points for Learner/Provisional licence holders) |
| Exceed speed by more than 10 km/h in a school zone | $379 | 4 points (5 points for Learner/Provisional licence holders) |
| Exceed speed by more than 20km/h | $507 |
4 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 20km/h in a school zone | $632 |
5 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 30km/h | $970 | 5 points (plus 3 months suspension for Learner/ Provisional licence holders) |
| Exceed speed by more than 30km/h in a school zone | $1,224 | 6 points (plus 3 months suspension for Learner/ Provisional licence holders) |
| Exceed speed by more than 45km/h | $2,616 |
6 points + 6 months licence suspension |
| Exceed speed by more than 45 km/h in a school zone | $2,778 | 7 points + 6 months licence suspension |
Click here for a full list of all NSW speeding (and other) offences and penalties.10, 11
Speeding fines in the NT
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by up to 15km/h | $150 | 1 point |
| Exceed speed over 15km/h up to 30km/h | $300 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed over 30km/h up to 45km/h | $600 | 4 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 45km/h | $1,000 | 6 points |
Click here for a full list of NT speeding offences and penalties.12
What are speeding fines in Qld?
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by less than 11km/h | $309 | 1 point |
| Exceed speed between 11km/h and 20km/h | $464 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 20km/h but not more than 30km/h | $696 | 4 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 30km/h but not more than 40km/h | $1,161 | 6 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 40km/h | $1,780 | 8 points + 6 months licence suspension |
Click here for a full list of Qld speeding offences and penalties.13, 14
South Australian speeding fines
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by less than 10km/h | $196 | 2 points |
| Exceed speed by 10km/h or more and less than 20km/h | $442 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed by 20km/h or more and less than 30km/h | $899 | 5 points |
| Exceed speed by 30km/h or more and less than 45km/h | $1,635 | 7 points |
| Exceed speed by 45km/h or more | $1,840 | 9 points + 6 months licence suspension |
Click here for a full list of SA speeding (and other) offences and penalties.15
Speeding fines in Tasmania
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by less than 10km/h | $98 | 2 points |
| Exceed speed between 10km/h and 14km/h | $146 | 2 points |
| Exceed speed between 15km/h and 22km/h | $195 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed between 23km/h and 29km/h | $341 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed between 30km/h and 37km/h | $585 | 5 points |
| Exceed speed between 38km/h and 44km/h | $829 | 6 points + 3 months licence suspension |
| Exceed speed by 45km/h or more | $1,121 | 6 points + 4 months licence suspension |
Click here for a full list of Tas speeding (and other) offences and penalties.16
What speeding fines apply in Victoria?
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by less than 10km/h | $240 | 1 point |
| Exceed speed between 10km/h and 24km/h | $385 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed between 20km/h and 24km/h in 110km/h zone | $385 | 3 months licence suspension |
| Exceed speed between 25km/h and 29km/h | $529 | 3 months licence suspension |
| Exceed speed between 30km/h and 34km/h | $625 | 3 months licence suspension |
| Exceed speed between 35km/h and 39km/h | $721 | 6 months licence suspension |
| Exceed speed between 40km/h and 44km/h | $817 | 6 months licence suspension |
| Exceed speed by 45km/h or more | $962 | 12 months licence suspension |
Click here for a full list of all Vic speeding offences and penalties.17
How much are speeding fines in WA?
| Offence | Fine | Demerit points /suspensions |
| Exceed speed by 9km/h or less | $100 | 0 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 9km/h but not more than 19km/h | $200 | 2 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 19km/h but not more than 29km/h | $400 | 3 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 29km/h but not more than 40km/h | $800 | 6 points |
| Exceed speed by more than 40km/h | $1,200 | 7 points |
Click here for a full list of WA speeding offences and penalties.18
While penalties for speeding are designed to help keep you safer on the roads, Youi is on hand to help cover your car. Explore our range of car insurance options and consider if they could be right for you.
Data collated in August 2023 and by its nature will change over time; check relevant Government websites for updates if this information is important to you.
1 Source: Australian Road Safety Foundation – Australian Road Users Implored to Wave in a Fatality-Free Future
2 Source: University of the Sunshine Coast – MAIC/UniSC Road Safety Research Collaboration
3 Source: NSW Government – Speeding
4 Source: Qld Government – 2020 Summary Road Crash Report
5 Source: NSW Government – Speed
6 Source: Australian Government – National Road Safety Strategy, 2021-30
7 Source: NSW Government – Community Road Safety Fund
8 Source: Qld Government – Camera Detected Offence Program
9 Source: ACT Government – Road Transport (Offences) Regulation 2005
10 Source: NSW Government – Search offences and penalties
11 Source: NSW Government – Licence suspension and disqualification
12 Source: NT Government – Traffic offence fines and demerit points
13 Source: Qld Government – Demerit points schedule
14 Source: Qld Government – Increased penalties for dangerous driving
15 Source: SA Government – Offences and Penalties
16 Source: Tas Government – Penalties and Infringements
17 Source: Vic Government – Fine amounts and demerit points
18 Source: WA Government – Speeding
