Kenngineering Notes: Comparing 100km/h Highways via AusRAP
Mar 10, 2026
Earlier this week I was chatting with one of our young gun engineers.
By chatting, I mean he innocently asked a question and somehow found himself in an impromptu lecture on speed limits and speed management.
Occupational hazard, I guess.
One of the points I made was the ridiculous nature of our default 100km/h rural speed limit. One number. Applied to wildly different roads. Completely different risk profiles. Completely different levels of protection.
As a reward for listening to me, I gave him some homework.
I asked him to AusRAP Star Rate a series of roads that all carry a 100km/h speed limit.
He is iRAP accredited to conduct AusRAP Star Ratings, so this was the perfect opportunity.
And just as I expected, he did a beautiful job (see his output below).
Same speed limit. Very different star ratings. All legally 100km/h.
If the infrastructure only provides 1 or 2 Star safety, why are we letting it stay at 100km/h?
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Earlier this week I was chatting with one of our young gun engineers.
By chatting, I mean he innocently asked a question and somehow found himself in an impromptu lecture on speed limits and speed management.
Occupational hazard, I guess.
One of the points I made was the ridiculous nature of our default 100km/h rural speed limit. One number. Applied to wildly different roads. Completely different risk profiles. Completely different levels of protection.
As a reward for listening to me, I gave him some homework.
I asked him to AusRAP Star Rate a series of roads that all carry a 100km/h speed limit.
He is iRAP accredited to conduct AusRAP Star Ratings, so this was the perfect opportunity.
And just as I expected, he did a beautiful job (see his output below).
Same speed limit. Very different star ratings. All legally 100km/h.
If the infrastructure only provides 1 or 2 Star safety, why are we letting it stay at 100km/h?
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