Rural Speed Limit sign 

From 7 February, speed limits on many rural local roads reduce from 80km/h to 60 km/h.

This change has been brought into effect by the Road Traffic Act. It is the first phase in a multi-step process of reducing speed limits to increase road safety in Ireland.

The ‘Rural Speed Limit’ sign for rural local roads, a generic sign that does not display a numeral value replaced the 80 km/h speed limit signs on rural local roads (boreens) in 2015.

Following a speed limit review in 2023,  it was established that protecting vulnerable road users must be a key focus when setting speed limits. One of the recommendations was to reduce the default speed limit on many of the local rural roads. The change came into effect on 7 Feb 2025, and means that the default speed limit on many 80Km/h rural roads have changed to 60Km/h. See here for information on the changes. 

The Rural Speed Limit Sign

A Speed Limit is the maximum legal speed, but not necessarily the safe speed at which a vehicle should be driven. It is the responsibility of a driver to obey a Speed Limit and to ensure that the vehicle speed is appropriate for the general circumstances, even if that speed is lower than the Speed Limit. For example, in poor weather conditions such as heavy rain, we would reduce our speed as it could reduce visibility.

The change in speed limit on many rural local roads also changes the meaning of the ‘Rural Speed Limit’ sign.

 This sign is a ‘black circle with diagonal black lines and is in use internationally. When it was first introduction on Irish roads in 2015, the sign meant that drivers must use their own judgement but must never exceed 80km/h.

 From 7 February 2025 in areas where the default speed limits have changed from 80Km/h to 60Km/h this ‘Rural Speed Limit’ sign will mean drive at 60Km/h or below.

New Campaign to Raise Awareness of Rural Speed Limit Changes

We have launched a new campaign to inform motorists about changes to the meaning of the Rural Speed Limit sign. This initiative highlights that these signs are being placed on rural local roads across the country and that drivers must always choose a safe speed based on the conditions and the environment, while never exceeding 60km/h.

Campaign Overview

To effectively communicate this message, the campaign includes:

• A 20-second video
• Radio
• Social media 

Some Key Facts Supporting the Campaign

Speed and Collision Risk

• The World Health Organisation estimates that a 5% reduction in average speed could lead to a 30% decrease in fatal collisions.
• In Ireland, almost three in four deaths (73%) in 2020-2024 occurred on a rural road with a speed limit of 80km/h or greater.

Impact of Speed on Pedestrian Fatalities

The risk of death for a pedestrian hit by a motor vehicle increases significantly with speed:

• At 80km/h, 9 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed
• At 60km/h, 5 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed
• At 50km/h, 3 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed

This data reinforces the importance of controlling speed, particularly in areas with pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

Vehicle speed and pedestrian fatalities: Evidence to support road safety messaging 

Findings from the RSA Free Speed Survey 2024 

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) Free Speed Survey 2024 revealed key trends in driver compliance with speed limits: 

• Just over a third of motorists exceeded the posted speed limit on 80km/h and 100km/h roads in 2024, but compliance has decreased slightly compared to 2023. 

• When comparing compliance rates on weekdays versus weekends in the 2024 study, there were notably higher rates of speeding at the weekend on 50km/h and 60km/h roads. By contrast, rates of speeding were notably higher on 80km/h roads during the week. 

• On all road types, except on 60km/h roads, the highest rates of non-compliance with the speed limit were observed within the 8pm-8am time periods. 

• The majority of non-compliant drivers on the various road types were found to have exceeded the speed limit by up to 10km/h. The rates of drivers found to be driving in excess of 10km/h was relatively lower. 

Conclusion

This campaign aims to enhance awareness of rural speed limits and encourage safer driving behaviours, ultimately reducing road fatalities and serious injuries. By choosing appropriate speeds based on conditions and adhering to the new 60km/h maximum limit, drivers can help create safer roads for everyone.