Speed limits in Ireland and how testers mark speed

What are the default speed limits in Ireland?

A default limit applies to a type of road when no sign shows otherwise. The Rules of the Road lists them:

Signs can change any of these. Roadworks, for example, often carry a lower temporary limit, and some roads have a permanent lower limit for safety reasons. The sign always beats the default.

Is a speed limit the speed I should drive at?

No. The signs show the maximum speed at which you may travel, not the speed the road needs. The law also says you must not drive faster than lets you stop within the distance you can see to be clear.

Fog, rain, a narrow road, a blind bend or a school gate can all make the right speed lower than the limit. On a test this is where many learners get caught, because the limit is the number they remember. The RSA includes excessive speed for the road or traffic conditions among the common reasons for being unsuccessful.

What is the two-second rule?

It keeps you a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

1. On a dry road, pick a fixed point ahead, such as a lamp post or road sign.
2. When the vehicle in front passes it, start saying: “Only a fool breaks the two-second rule.”
3. If you reach the point before you finish, you are too close.

In wet weather, double the gap by saying it twice. In snow, fog or ice you may need to say it four or five times.

Your total stopping distance depends on four things: your perception time, your reaction time, your vehicle’s reaction time and its braking capability. Double your speed and the braking distance rises almost four times.

Why does speed matter this much?

The Rules of the Road puts it in plain numbers for pedestrians. Hit at 60 km/h, nine out of ten pedestrians die. At 50 km/h it is five in ten, and at 30 km/h it is one in ten. Slowing down in built-up areas and near schools is not caution for its own sake.

Space matters for other road users too. When you pass a cyclist, leave at least 1 metre in zones up to 50 km/h and at least 1.5 metres over 50 km/h.

Can learner drivers use motorways?

No. A person without a full licence for that category of vehicle must not enter a motorway, so a learner never drives at 120 km/h. Learners must also be accompanied by a driver who has held a full licence in the same category for a continuous two years.

Motorways still appear in your theory and Rules of the Road questions. Know that you join using the acceleration lane, give way to traffic already on the motorway, and stay in Lane 1 unless you are overtaking. The learner permit guide covers permit rules.

How are speed and progress marked on the driving test?

The RSA assesses speed as one of its headings. Testers look at two sides of it:

• Too fast: over the limit, or too quick for bends, junctions, ramps and busy streets even when the limit is higher.
• Too slow: hesitating, waiting when the way is clear, or sitting well below a safe speed. That falls under progress.

Aim for a speed that suits the road, so care never turns into hesitation. Read the signs as you enter each stretch, and use your mirrors and observation to judge traffic ahead. The observation guide shows how.

What speed mistakes happen on test drives?

Learners often make the same few errors.

• Entering a lower limit too fast. Read the sign early and ease off before the limit changes, not after.
• Matching the limit when conditions say slower. Bends, busy streets, junctions and ramps can need a lower speed than the sign allows.
• Following too close. A short gap leaves no time to react. Use the two-second rule.
• Creeping well below the limit. On a clear road with no reason to slow, sitting far under the limit can look like poor progress.
• Missing a limit sign. Signs can be small or hidden by parked vehicles and trees. Keep scanning both sides of the road.

The test assesses speed along with road position and observation, so a good check is to ask yourself on each road: is this the right speed for what I can see? If the answer is no, adjust early and smoothly. Sudden braking shows the tester you did not see it coming, and it unsettles drivers behind you.

How do I practise speed limits?

Drive your local roads with your instructor or sponsor and say each limit aloud as you pass the sign. Note where the limit changes as you enter and leave towns. Turas calls out speed limit changes by voice on its test routes around your centre, which helps you build the habit. Browse the routes by centre.

Learn the markings that go with speed, such as zig-zag lines at crossings, in the road markings guide.