brother mentioned a while back that the speed limit for vehicles towing trailers in which case the combined mass exceeded 4.5 or 5tonnes was 100km/h, meaning where the posted limit is 110km/h the limit on such a combination is 100km/h.

i’ve been having difficulty verifying it from what i’m seeing on the internet, so far I remain unconvinced and am tending to go with it’s confusion about GVM and GCM.

anyone know for certain?

for example this page http://www.towingguide.com.au/content/legal_requirements.html

“For a motor vehicle and trailer combination that has a GCM of less than 4.5 tonnes, the posted speed limits apply – unless the manufacturer of the towing vehicle has stipulated a lower towing speed limit.

When the motor vehicle and trailer combination (GCM) exceeds 4.5 tonnes, vehicle users should consult with the appropriate state or territory transport authority regarding speed limits. A safe speed, satisfactory stopping distance and any other requirement imposed by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle also apply.

For certain road conditions (e.g. sharp bends, steep descent, winding roads), special speed limit signs may be posted for trucks, roadtrains and buses. You must not drive at a speed greater than the speed shown on the sign.

If the posted speed-limit is over 100km/h and the RV or vehicle and trailer have a GCM over 5 tonnes, or any other vehicle with a GVM over 12 tonnes, the speed-limit applying to the driver for the length of road is 100 kilometres per hour. (Australian Road Rules – February 2009 version)”

transition said:

brother mentioned a while back that the speed limit for vehicles towing trailers in which case the combined mass exceeded 4.5 or 5tonnes was 100km/h, meaning where the posted limit is 110km/h the limit on such a combination is 100km/h.

i’ve been having difficulty verifying it from what i’m seeing on the internet, so far I remain unconvinced and am tending to go with it’s confusion about GVM and GCM.

anyone know for certain?

for example this page http://www.towingguide.com.au/content/legal_requirements.html

“For a motor vehicle and trailer combination that has a GCM of less than 4.5 tonnes, the posted speed limits apply – unless the manufacturer of the towing vehicle has stipulated a lower towing speed limit.

When the motor vehicle and trailer combination (GCM) exceeds 4.5 tonnes, vehicle users should consult with the appropriate state or territory transport authority regarding speed limits. A safe speed, satisfactory stopping distance and any other requirement imposed by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle also apply.

For certain road conditions (e.g. sharp bends, steep descent, winding roads), special speed limit signs may be posted for trucks, roadtrains and buses. You must not drive at a speed greater than the speed shown on the sign.

If the posted speed-limit is over 100km/h and the RV or vehicle and trailer have a GCM over 5 tonnes, or any other vehicle with a GVM over 12 tonnes, the speed-limit applying to the driver for the length of road is 100 kilometres per hour. (Australian Road Rules – February 2009 version)”

I got pulled over on the Nullarbor when pulling a small trailer (less than a ton), whilst travelling at 110 kph and was told by the police that when pulling any trailer the maximum permitted speed was 100 kph, but without one, then 110 kph. They let me off with a caution.

For certain. For a long time before we had the restrictions we have today, if you were driving any vehicle fast, you had to be able to prove that

a) you had a legitimate reason to.
b) that you were doing so safely.

Anywhere else the rule is as it still stands today, that you must be driving with care to the conditions.

Now if you can tell me what is the genuine and legitmate reason for towing any trailer whatever size at any speed above safety level, given the conditions?

I’d bet that you cannot.

Towing speeds for any weight trailer would relate to the weight of the towing vehicle, the braking system and the road conditions and it will always be slower than the speed for a vehicle not towing.

My suggestion would be that easily it would be at least 10 km below the posted speed limit and even then, better to be slower than that as well.

Your driving experience may help you in a court of law, if you could prove why your considered opinion of safety was a better judgement than above or that of the police person asking.. They don’t pull people over for showing competency of cognition of the above. They do pull you over if they observe any other.

There are many who do push their competency above the level of safety and mostly they have a dice with death before any cop pulls them over.

In my considered opinion, 100 kmph is too fast for safety with any trailer of any size.

PermeateFree said:

transition said:

brother mentioned a while back that the speed limit for vehicles towing trailers in which case the combined mass exceeded 4.5 or 5tonnes was 100km/h, meaning where the posted limit is 110km/h the limit on such a combination is 100km/h.

i’ve been having difficulty verifying it from what i’m seeing on the internet, so far I remain unconvinced and am tending to go with it’s confusion about GVM and GCM.

anyone know for certain?

for example this page http://www.towingguide.com.au/content/legal_requirements.html

“For a motor vehicle and trailer combination that has a GCM of less than 4.5 tonnes, the posted speed limits apply – unless the manufacturer of the towing vehicle has stipulated a lower towing speed limit.

When the motor vehicle and trailer combination (GCM) exceeds 4.5 tonnes, vehicle users should consult with the appropriate state or territory transport authority regarding speed limits. A safe speed, satisfactory stopping distance and any other requirement imposed by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle also apply.

For certain road conditions (e.g. sharp bends, steep descent, winding roads), special speed limit signs may be posted for trucks, roadtrains and buses. You must not drive at a speed greater than the speed shown on the sign.

If the posted speed-limit is over 100km/h and the RV or vehicle and trailer have a GCM over 5 tonnes, or any other vehicle with a GVM over 12 tonnes, the speed-limit applying to the driver for the length of road is 100 kilometres per hour. (Australian Road Rules – February 2009 version)”

I got pulled over on the Nullarbor when pulling a small trailer (less than a ton), whilst travelling at 110 kph and was told by the police that when pulling any trailer the maximum permitted speed was 100 kph, but without one, then 110 kph. They let me off with a caution.

in SA, 100kph for towing, from Aframes up.

http://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/21720/MR805-A-Frame-Towing-9.13.pdf

page 4

Speed limits differ between states. Quite a lot. For example, a learner in NSW doing 85 in a 110 km/hr zone can be fined for driving too fast, but a learner in WA doing 85 in a 110 km/hr zone can be fined for driving too slowly. I joke not.

My understanding is that the former 100 km/hr speed limit on towing has recently been removed. But that’s based just on observations in the three eastern states.

Perhaps my best advice is to go to the nearest police station and ask.