Pete Burke, the owner and founder of
Traveller's Auto Barn, shares his extensive knowledge and experience about driving in Australia and the dangers to be aware of on your roadtrip this holiday season.
STOP, REVIVE, SURVIVE
“Stop, Revive, Survive” is a public
campaign run in Australia urging the thousands of holidaying motorists to take
it easy on the roads this Christmas, New Year and school holiday summer season.
Basically it’s recommended that you break up your drive every two hours by taking
a short break. The campaign runs year round but is especially ramped up at this
time of year.
Read
more about the Stop, Revive, Survive Campaign
We wholeheartedly support the STOP, REVIVE, SURVIVE campaign and would like
to see everyone get to their destination safely.
Here are some tips from Travellers
Auto Barn to help keep you safe on your trip this summer.
THINGS TO BEWARE OF:
TRUCKS, SEMIS, LORRIES, ROAD TRAINS.
Besides Kangaroos and livestock on
country roads, there is also the fact that most of the road freight
travels at night and these huge trucks and their drivers are on very
dangerous timetables and you do not want to be on the truck highways at
night dueling with these unforgiving behemoths of the road. At night they
own the road.
WET ROADS
Beware unfamiliar roads in the wet……another good government campaign is
‘Wipe off 10 in the wet”. Meaning whatever speed you are doing take off
another 10 when it’s raining.
LOCAL
FLOODS
In the Wet Season it’s quite common to get periods of heavy rain
which can cause localised flooding. Highways can be cut for 1-3
days, usually not much longer. Have some patience, don’t try and drive
through the flood or find a small local road to get around the flood. The
spot where the water covers the road isn’t just an unlucky spot. It’s
usually the spot where the road is at it’s lowest. In fact under the water
the seemingly level road probably dips quite substantially so that what
starts our 10cm deep becomes 1-2 metres deep. Not good. Many people are
rescued from the roofs of their vehicles every year. Don’t be one of
them….and besides that the car will be ruined.
SPEED
Statistics prove it. Young people and speed are a deadly mix. The need for
speed, the exhilaration of speed, and inexperience usually equate to a
loss of control of the vehicle at a speed that results in carnage.
Australian / NZ roads are nothing like Europe, many highways are simply
rubbish. A sudden corner, an unforgiving camber on a bend with no
shoulder. No room for error, your off the road, and the car is on it’s
roof.
UNSEALED
ROADS / DIRT ROADS
Corrugations, pot holes, more animals, sandy or dust
drifts…all of these things will result in a loss of control of the vehicle
at speeds as low as 30km/h depending upon how bad they are.
UNFAMILIAR
CARS
This is one of the greatest contributing factors amongst those
incidents involving Travellers Auto
Barn vehicles. Our Ford Falcons are 4 litre, rear wheel drive, lots of
power to the rear wheels. Unless you are a very experienced driver you do
not ‘test out’ one of these cars, they will bite back. The CHUBBY
and HiTOP campers have a high centre of gravity and with any combination
of speed, poor road, inexperience and that essential ingredient stupidity,
you will end up on your side. Australian Cars are not small, 1.3 litre,
front wheel drive, manual transmission vehicles that many of our customers
got their license driving.
DON'T:
- Push on when you are tired.
- Get
into the mind set of needing to ‘make good time’.
- Drive at dusk, dawn, or overnight,when you as travellers, should be enjoying a cup of tea, a beer, making
dinner, sleeping, sleeping in or enjoying the beautiful surrounds you’ve
woken up in.
Take it easy this summer, have fun, and when you are behind the wheel, be responsible. Happy holidays and safe driving!
