Photo: Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
“Hazardous localities” is a section of the road rules part of Your keys to driving in Queensland. This guide covers the places where Queensland’s road rules ask more of you: school zones, children’s and pedestrian crossings, railway level crossings, shared zones and roadworks. These rules come up in PrepL and in your Q-Safe test, and each one below is taken from Queensland’s Road Rules Regulation.
Quick reference
| Place | The rule |
|---|---|
| School zone | The speed on the school zone sign applies during the signed times |
| Children’s crossing | Stop at the stop line if a hand-held stop sign is shown or anyone is on or entering it |
| Pedestrian (zebra) crossing | Give way to anyone on or entering it |
| Any crossing | Do not overtake a vehicle stopping or stopped for someone crossing |
| Level crossing | Do not enter if lights flash, bells ring, booms are moving or down, or a train is close |
| Shared zone | Speed on the sign; give way to pedestrians |
| Roadworks | Obey the roadworks speed sign and any traffic controller |
School zones in Queensland
The speed limit in a school zone is the number on the school zone sign, from that sign to the end school zone sign. TMR says most Queensland school zones operate from 7am to 9am and 2pm to 4pm on school days, but some use other times and some run all day, so always read the times on the sign. Compare other states at school zones in every Australian state.
Children’s crossings
A children’s crossing has stop lines plus children crossing flags, or children’s crossing signs and twin yellow lights, and is marked by red and white posts or parallel lines.
- Approach at a speed that lets you stop safely.
- Stop before the stop line if a crossing supervisor shows a hand-held stop sign, or if a pedestrian or rider is on or entering the crossing.
- Wait until no one is on or entering the crossing and the supervisor lowers the sign or signals you on.
If the crossing spans a road with a dividing strip, each side counts as a separate crossing.
Pedestrian crossings
At a pedestrian crossing (white stripes across the road, sometimes with a sign or flashing yellow lights) you must approach at a speed that lets you stop, and give way to any pedestrian, cyclist or personal mobility device rider on or entering it. You must never overtake or pass a vehicle that is stopping or has stopped at a crossing. See pedestrian, school and wombat crossings.
Railway level crossings
A level crossing is where a road and railway meet at the same level, signed or not, and includes any cross-hatched area next to it.
- Stop sign: stop at the stop line (or sign) and give way to any train.
- Give way sign: give way to any train on, approaching or entering the crossing.
- Do not enter if warning lights are operating, bells are ringing, a boom or gate is closed or moving, a train is on the crossing or close enough to be a danger, or the road beyond is blocked so you cannot get all the way across.
- Once on it, leave as soon as you safely can.
Most level crossing offences, such as disobeying the warning lights or entering when a train is approaching, carry 3 demerit points. Causing an obstruction at a level crossing, or damage to railway crossing infrastructure, carries 4. See railway level crossings in Australia.
Shared zones
The speed limit in a shared zone is the number on the shared zone sign. You must give way to pedestrians in a shared zone.
Roadworks
Roadworks cover road construction and maintenance, road cleaning, installing traffic signals or signs, and road surface surveys. Obey roadworks speed limit signs and directions from traffic controllers. Road workers can be exempt from some road rules where it is impractical to follow them and warning has been given, so expect vehicles and people in unusual positions. Motorcycle edge filtering is banned through roadworks.
Stopped emergency and breakdown vehicles
When you approach a parked emergency response vehicle showing flashing lights on a multi-lane road, leave a clear lane between you and it if it is safe and practical to change lanes. You do not have to move over where there are roadworks, when following a police or enforcement officer’s direction, or when turning left or right. If you cannot move over, keep as far from the vehicle as you can within your lane and slow to a safe speed. On a single-lane road, pass at a safe distance and a speed that does not put people at risk. See emergency vehicles and slow down rules.
Default speed limits
Where no sign applies, the limit is 50 km/h in a built-up area and 100 km/h outside one.
Common questions
What are Queensland school zone times?
Most run 7am to 9am and 2pm to 4pm on school days, but the times on the sign are the ones that apply.
Can I cross a level crossing if the lights are flashing but I see no train?
No. You must not enter while warning lights operate or bells ring.
What if traffic stops while I am on a level crossing?
Do not enter unless you can get all the way across. If you are already on it, leave as soon as it is safe.
Can I overtake at a pedestrian crossing?
Not past a vehicle that is stopping or has stopped for someone crossing.
Related: Your keys to driving in Queensland study guide, PrepL and learning to drive in Queensland.
Sources
- Queensland Government, “Transport Operations (Road Use Management: Road Rules) Regulation 2009”, current as at 31 August 2026 (legislation.qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Transport Operations (Road Use Management: Driver Licensing) Regulation 2021”, schedule 5 (legislation.qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, “School zones” (tmr.qld.gov.au)
- Department of Transport and Main Roads, “Your keys to driving in Queensland”, Road rules section (publications.qld.gov.au)
- Queensland Government, “Parked emergency response vehicles with flashing lights” (qld.gov.au)