When do school zones apply across Australia for 2024?

New research from AAMI has found 29 per cent of Australian drivers are confused about school zones – a particularly worrying statistic as the nation's school students return to classrooms for 2024.

While parents with school-age children are all too aware of term dates, plenty of other drivers have no clue about when school holidays do and don't apply and, thus, don't know when they need to slow down.

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Typically school zones are areas with a speed limit of 40km/h or less (in South Australia, it's 25km/h) that either apply year-round or are operational on weekdays during the school term – but be aware that this can vary by state and territory.

These variable speed limits also have specific enforcement times to align with peak school drop-off and pick-up times, usually between 8am – 9.30am and 2.30pm – 4pm.

While plenty of school zones have permanent speed limits to make things easy, it's the variable, time-based zones (which often feature electronic variable speed limit signs) that can prove confusing for drivers not aware of term dates.

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Usually, these time-based school zones are calibrated to your state or territory's government school calendar – as private schools often operate under different term dates.

When in doubt, the safest course of action is to slow down to the posted speed limit, even if you're unsure whether school is in session.

To help, we've collated the relevant school term dates for every state and territory in Australia for 2024.

In Victoria, time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 40km/h and operate between 8am – 9.30am and 2.30pm – 4pm on school days. Victorian school term dates for 2024 are as follows:

Term 1: Tuesday 30 January – Thursday 28 March (inclusive)

Term 2: Monday 15 April – Friday 28 June (inclusive)

Term 3: Monday 15 July – Friday 20 September (inclusive)

Term 4: Monday 7 October – Friday 20 December (inclusive)

In New South Wales, time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 40km/h, or 30km/h in high pedestrian activity areas (HPAA) as indicated by orange speed-limit signs. They typically operate from 8am – 9.30am and 2pm – 4.30pm on school days, including pupil-free days.

Term dates in NSW vary depending on whether the school zone falls in the NSW Eastern Division or Western Division (the region "west of a line starting from a point on the right bank of the Murray River", according to NSW School Holidays).

NSW school zone limits operate during the following term dates for 2024:

Term 1: Tuesday 30 January – Friday 12 April (inclusive) for Eastern Division schools or Tuesday 6 February – Friday 12 April (inclusive) for Western Division schools.

Term 2: Monday 29 April – Friday 5 July (inclusive) 

Term 3: Monday 22 July – Friday 27 September (inclusive)

Term 4: Monday 14 October – Friday 20 December (inclusive)

In Queensland, time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 40km/h. Unlike other states and territories, Queensland's school zones are operational slightly earlier in the day, from 7am – 9am and 2pm – 4pm.

Queensland's school term dates for 2024 are as follows:

Term 1: Monday 22 January – Thursday 28 March (inclusive)

Term 2: Monday 15 April to Friday 21 June (inclusive)

Term 3: Monday 8 July – Friday 13 September (inclusive)

Term 4: Monday 30 September – Friday 13 December

In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 40km/h. ACT school zones are in operation for a longer period than those in other states, and are enforced between 8am and 4pm on weekdays during the school term.

The ACT's school term dates for 2024 are as follows:

Term 1: Monday 29 January – Friday 12 April (inclusive)

Term 2: Monday 29 April – Friday 5 July (inclusive)

Term 3: Monday 22 July – Friday 27 September

Term 4: Monday 14 October – Tuesday 17 December (inclusive)

In South Australia, time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 25km/h and, unlike other states and territories, they apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year.

Drivers must observe this limit, "any time when a child is in the zone, whenever a child is on the road, footpath, median strip, even if they are on a bike. A child is any person less than 18 years of age".

In Western Australia, time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 40km/h and are in effect on school days from 7.30am – 9am and 2.30pm – 4pm.

The 2024 school term dates for WA are as follows:

Term 1: Wednesday 31 January – Thursday 28 March (inclusive)

Term 2: Monday 15 April – Friday 28 June (inclusive)

Term 3: Monday 15 July – Friday 20 September (inclusive)

Term 4: Monday 7 October – Thursday 12 December (inclusive)

In Tasmania, time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 40km/h and are in effect from 8am – 9.30am and 2.30pm – 4pm on school days.

The 2024 school term dates for Tasmania are:

Term 1:  Thursday 8 February – Friday 12 April (inclusive)

Term 2: Monday 29 April – Friday 5 July (inclusive)

Term 3: Monday 22 July – Friday 27 September (inclusive)

Term 4: Monday 14 October – Thursday 19 December (inclusive)

In the Northern Territory, time-based school zones require drivers to slow to 40km/h and usually apply between 7am – 5pm on school days.

The 2024 school term dates for NT are:

Term 1: Tuesday 30 January – Friday 5 April (inclusive)

Term 2: Tuesday 16 April – Friday 21 June (inclusive)

Term 3: Tuesday 16 July – Friday 20 September (inclusive)

Term 4: Tuesday 8 October – Thursday 12 December (inclusive)