The road in South Africa with a 250km/h speed limit

A section of the N14 between Kakamas and Pofadder in the Northern Cape has a speed limit of 250km/h.

The speed limit on the 120km section of the highway is double the nation’s standard 120 km/h.

According to our sister publication TopAuto, carmakers generally use the 250km/h stretch of highway to test vehicles in hot weather conditions before putting them in production to ensure that they continue to work even in extreme heat.

Given the extremely small population in the area, the roads are incredibly are in relatively great condition due to being used sparingly. The highway is thus perfect for testing high-performance vehicles through their paces before handing them over to customers.

Road users are also extremely aware of the 120km stretch, with big, yellow signboards station:

It’s nearly impossible to miss the 120km stretch; there are big, yellow warning signs posted at the start and end of the road reading.

However, in a disappointing blow to car enthusiasts, only cars approved by the relevant authorities with a bright yellow sticker reading “High-Speed Test Vehicle Approved By Government” are allowed to hit 250km/h on the highway.

Regular motorists will still be capped at the standard 120km/h.

Several well-known manufacturers, including Bugatti, Porsche, and BMW, have tested their models on the stretch of road.

South Africa vs the rest of the world

Although the 250km/h stretch is double that of the nation’s regular limit, South African officials have previously called for a reduction in the nation’s speed limits.

In 2022, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) announced plans to limit maximum speeds, along with several other interventions to reduce fatalities on the country’s roads.

South Africa’s regulations are in line with recommendations made by the United Nations to reduce speed by 10km/h, which is biding for South Africa as a member of the United Nation’s roads council.

The drop would see the 120km/h speed limit drop to 100km/h, while the residential speed limit of 60km/h would drop to 50km/h.

South Africa’s regulators are, however, yet to introduce any new initaivies to reduce speed limits.

Despite the push for slower roads, South Africa’s 120km/h highway is broadly in line with many developed nations.

Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA all have maximum speed limits of 130km/h, with certain variations applied.

Despite state officials recommending a 130km/h speed limit, Germany’s autobahn famously has no federally mandated speed limit.

MyBroadband broke down the speed limits in South Africa vs other parts of the world: