‘Red carpets’ spotted on Queensland roads – but what do they mean?

A photo of a stretch of road in Queensland covered in red paint has raised awareness about a little-known road rule only found in the state.

Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) posted the photo to its Facebook page, asking its followers "What does this red mark mean?".

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“I’ve never seen this marking on the road, but it’s a very good idea,” one Facebook commenter said.

Another remarked, “I didn’t know what that red mark on the highway was for, but it does make sense".

Known as a Township Entry Treatment (TET), the red marking is commonly found as you enter regional Queensland towns to notify drivers of changing speed limits.

TETs are identified with red markings on a narrowed lane with painted median strips and signposted by special speed limit signs.

According to the TMR, the road safety program started in 2015 and is “becoming increasingly common across the state” with over 120 Queensland towns equipped with the Township Entry Treatment.

While Queensland is the only Australian state or territory to use TETs, countries like New Zealand and the United Kingdom have also implemented the road safety measure.

According to a 2021 TMR report, a before-and-after analysis of the 102 TET sites in New Zealand found car crashes were reduced by 26 per cent – with road fatalities experiencing a 23 per cent decrease as a result of the road markings.

Similarly, across 56 TET sites in the UK, car crashes resulting in injury declined by 20–25 per cent, while fatal car accidents were reduced by 33–50 per cent.

“The effectiveness of a TET relates to its ability to create a visual impact indicating a change in the [road] environment to the approaching motorists,” the report stated.

TMR said on X (formerly Twitter) that there are currently 17 Township Entry Treatments being installed across various towns in Western Queensland.

“[TET] plays a crucial role in signalling motorists to decelerate … and are designed to enhance driver awareness and contribute to ensuring road safety within our rural communities,” the post stated.

While most Facebook commenters were in support of the cost-effective road safety measure, others pointed out the potential road hazards associated with a painted surface.

"[The problem] with those red zones is when it rains, they do get slippery..." one Facebook user mentioned.

Another commenter pointed out TETs are dangerous for motorcyclists who come across it when the road gets wet, stating "If you're on a motorbike, you're about to slip if it's raining".

While the Township Entry Treatment remains a Queensland-specific road rule, other Australian states like New South Wales have proposed a similar safety tool.

In 2022, Transport for NSW submitted proposed design guidelines and specifications for what it calls a 'Town Entry Gateway Treatment' (TEG).

According to Transport for NSW, TEGs would be installed on roads where "there is poor speed compliance with the posted speed limit within or an entry of a town", stretches of road with a "history of speed-related crashes" and/or areas where "there are vulnerable road user groups present".