Slow down for children

40km/h school zones help protect children on their way to and from schools at the times and places where they are often in high numbers. This lower speed limit reduces the risk and potential severity of a crash. School zone signs, dragon’s teeth road markings and flashing lights improve the visibility of school zones.

School zone days

40km/h school zones are in force on all days which are not a weekend, a public holiday or a publicly notified school holiday for government schools.

Notified school days 2020 Term 1 - Eastern Division NSW Tuesday 28 January to Thursday 9 April (inclusive) Term 1 - Western Division NSW Tuesday 4 February to Thursday 9 April (inclusive) Term 2 (Eastern and Western Divisions NSW) Monday 27 April to Friday 3 July (inclusive) Term 3 (Eastern and Western Divisions NSW) Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September (inclusive) Term 4 (Eastern and Western Divisions NSW) Monday 12 October to Friday 18 December (inclusive)

School zone days (as shown above) include school development days, also known as student-free days, because some students may attend their school on these days.

The NSW Department of Education website has more information on school term dates and detailed data on school locations.

School zone times

Most school zones operate from 8 to 9.30am and from 2.30 to 4pm. However, there are a small number of non-standard school zone times in NSW, which are identified by red/orange school zone signs showing the times when school zone flashing lights operate.

Protecting our children

Motorists must drive no faster than 40 km/h through school zones. Increased fines and demerit points apply for certain school zone offences, with illegal use of mobile phones and speeding among those included in double demerit periods. The Roads and Maritime website has information on fines and demerit point offences.