When Driving in Western Australia Pay Attention to the Conditions, Western Australia has vast open spaces, dramatic landscapes, remote (a long way between stops) wilderness, inland features and stunning coastal Views.
Western Australia is a Huge State. It is bigger than all Western Europe.
Driving on Western Australian country roads will be very different to any road you may have encountered before.
It is important to be aware of the many different road hazards and conditions you will experience.
Road Trains. Wildlife. Livestock. Narrow roads. Dirt roads. Loose metal roads. Extreme weather events are some of the conditions to be aware of.
Being Prepared and having the right veicle is important. https://www.wacars.com.au/ You can find quality used cars suitable for your outback adventure.
Map of Western Europe highlighting size of Western Australia.
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Be Alert and Stay Awake.
Many people do not think of tiredness and fatigue when preparing for a road trip.
Distances between towns can daunting. They do not look so far on the map.
You can drive for thousands of kilometers and still not leave the state of Western Australia.
The excitement of getting on the road often overshadows good route planning and driver stops.
Stop regularly. Stopping only when you need fuel, or a toilet stop can be too late.
Some of the early warning signs of fatigue and over tiredness are:
Tired eyes, Yawning, having to blink to stay awake, your thoughts start wandering, you have trouble concentrating.
Winding down the window or turning up the radio may help to keep you alert for a short time.
These are danger signs that you need to stop and rest or have someone else drive if possible.
Many drivers especially men tend to try and tough it out and think that they can fight fatigue.
This can result in a higher risk of having a crash and endangering not only the driver but others in the car.
Start your trip after a good night’s sleep and limit all up-driving time to no more than eight hours in any 24-hour period.
Tired driver in Western Australia.
2. Include Regular Stops
Including regular stops, at a minimum every two hours of your trip, should be part of your plan.
Fatigue can sneak up on you.
By the time, the physical signs such as your eyes closing, yawning, inattention and you start nodding off it is often too late.
You need to be aware of the early warning signs:
Missing a turn off, you can’t remember the last song on the radio, you cannot remember driving the last few kilometres, eyes feel sore.
This is when you should pull over and rest.
If you feel tired or you are losing concentration take a break, have a coffee or tea, take a walk and if possible change drivers.
3. Country Driving Means Different Roads.
Lose gravel and dirt roads require different driving techniques and are very different to driving in the city where driving conditions are controlled and predictable. Finding the right vehicle is important https://www.wacars.com.au/ can help with this with a large range of 4wd vehicles suitable for country driving. If you require finance https://loans123.com.au/ can help with a range of car loans, caravan loans and boat loans.
Stopping distances increase on loose metal or dirt roads and you do not have as much control of your car when stopping.
Unsealed roads can deteriorate rapidly in wet weather or from heavy use.
Stones and dust can be thrown up if you are travelling behind other cars and trucks, this can result in cracked or broken windscreens and obscure your vision.
Try and avoid driving during or immediately after heavy rain as the dust turns to mud and the road surface becomes slippery.
You have a much greater chance of becoming bogged.
Many roads in country Western Australia are unsealed roads and are often closed after rain or bad weather.
Western Australia – Flooded Outback gravel road with 4WD crossing
4. Check Road Conditions
Check for any road closures before leaving on your road trip.
Adjust your speed to the conditions and allow yourself more time to react to any road conditions, this will help you to maintain control. It is a good idea to leave a bigger gap than you normally would between cars and trucks.
Your car will be more prone to sliding if you take corners too fast. This applies to dirt and loose metal roads and when the roads are wet.
If your car starts to slide, apply your brakes gently and slow down, steer the car without using violent movements or over correcting.
5. Obey Speed Limits. Observe Country Speed Limits
Most open road country speed limits are 110 klmh. This is the maximum speed.
Adjust your speed to the conditions.
When approaching small towns, the speed limits often reduce to 60 and in some cases as low as 40 kmh.
You need to pay attention to the local speed limits and slow down when passing through country towns.
Local police used fixed speed traps and hand held speed guns.
In some areas the police will measure average speed travelled between points and cameras will take your number plate if you have covered the distance too quickly.
Speed limits when approaching or travelling through small towns are often vigorously enforced by local police.
This is for safety reasons.
6. Poor Visibility Can be Severe.
Driving in WA’s outback can expose you to severe weather (including cyclones), bush fires, flooding, fog, and dust storms.
In Western Australia, country roads can be subject to flash flooding.
You must always check the depth of water before trying to cross a flooded road.
Do not underestimate the force of the water flow. If in doubt do not try and cross.
Emus on the Roadside in Western Australia
7. Be Aware of Wildlife and Livestock.
Once you leave the metropolitan area you need to think about and be aware of wildlife and life stock.
Kangaroos, emus, cows, and sheep are common alongside busy roads and highways.
They can inflict severe damage on even the biggest vehicles if you accidently hit one.
Often their behaviour is unpredictable.
There are some typical behaviours that can help to avoid hitting one and avoiding damage to yourself and your vehicle.
Kangaroos and emus are most active around dawn and early evening.
Livestock can be present at any time.
Keep a special watch and be particularly careful during these times.
If you see a kangaroo or emu, slow down, especially if they try to keep pace with your car.
This is when they can jump onto the road in front of you.
If a kangaroo or emu does jump in front of you, do not swerve.
Brake hard if it is safe to do so.
Swerving at high speeds can cause you to lose control of your car.
Kangaroos at dusk. Roadside Western Australia
8. Large Trucks and Road Trains.
A lot of people, especially overseas visitors may have never seen a road train before.
Road trains can be as long as 53.5 metres (175 feet).
This is like trying to pass 11 cars at once. Road trains often travel at high speeds (100kmh) on the open road and are very hard to pass.
Often the driver will signal when it is safe to pass.
Travelling slowly and causing a road train or large truck to overtake you can be very dangerous. Road trains require a long stopping distance to be able to pull up safely.
When road trains pass at speed they create turbulence and can rock a vehicle roughly.
This can cause a driver to lose control and be frightened if they are unused to this.
If you are doing under the speed limit and a road train is passing you, pull over as far is safe and slow down.
Road train often encoumtered in Western Australia outback.”
9. Check Your Car Before You Start Your Road Trip.
Check your car.
Your safety and the safety of others in your car and other road users depend on your car working safely and efficiently.
A regularly serviced and well-maintained vehicle is a great starting point for your road trip.
Make sure you have checked the oil and coolant in radiator. If required top up all fluids.
Check the air pressure in your tyres. Low air pressure can increase your fuel consumption and tyre wear. Low tyre pressure can also affect safe braking.
Check your spare tyre and the air pressure. If you are travelling in outback Western Australia it can pay to have an extra spare tyre due to the rough terrain and extreme conditions.
Be prepared you should include: a first air kit, additional bottled water, a strong tow rope, jumper leads a tool kit and additional fuel. In Western Australia there are long distances between petrol stations. In the country these are known as truck stops and will have food and other supplies.
Have your brakes checked, being able to stop safely when needed is critical.
If you do not have properly functioning brakes, you will be a danger to yourself, your passengers and other road users. You may not be able to stop safely or in time to avoid an accident.
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10. Be Aware of Increased Stopping Distances
The faster you go, the longer it will take you to stop.
Higher speeds result in more severe accidents.
It is crucial that you can stop safely, no matter how fast you are going.
It takes approx. 1.5 seconds plus for your brain to react to changes in the road.
For every 10 km/h above 40 km/h, you will add at least 10 metres to your stopping distance,
Average Stopping Distances on Dry Roads
- 50km/h: 35 metres
- 60km/h: 45 metres
- 80km/h: 69 metres
- 100km/h: 98 metres
- 110km/h: 113 metres
Average Stopping Distances on Wet Roads
- 50km/h: 41 metres
- 60km/h: 54 metres
- 80km/h: 85 metres
- 100km/h: 122 metres
- 110km/h: 143 metres
11. Your Alertness Affects Vehicle Stopping Distances
The average reaction time is 1.5 seconds, you may take longer to realise that you need to slow down or stop.
The longer it takes you to react, the farther you will travel before you even begin to start braking.
If you are tired, distracted, fiddling with the radio, turning to your children in the backseat, texting on your phone you will not giving your full attention to the road.
It is important to remain as focused on driving to minimise your risk of having an accident.
Fatigue can also impact your stopping distance.
Even if you feel awake enough to drive, fatigue can drastically increase your reaction time.
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol will endanger your life, your passenger’s life and endanger other road users.
Alcohol and drugs can affect your response times, Judgement and reaction times.
It is not worth the risk you will pose to both yourself and others on the road.