Tips for Stress Free Travel on Australian Roads these Holidays

If you’ve ever travelled by car on the East Coast of Australia during the Christmas holidays, you’ll know just how stressful it can be – the traffic, the stifling summer heat, those smelly roadside toilets on the highway! Adding to the stress, is the ever-present eye of the police ready and waiting to issue hefty fines for speeding and other traffic offenses. But don’t stress out just yet because there are things you can do to better prepare for travel on our roads these holidays.

So if you’re heading out of the city during the Christmas holidays, these tips will help you to enjoy the journey and arrive at your destination safe and stress-free.

Be Mindful of Your Driving

While we should always be careful when driving, the Christmas holiday period is the busiest on our roads and police in all state and territories will be out in force to ensure everyone obeys the road rules. If you’re caught breaking the rules, it will not only cost you time and money, it could cost you your license with double demerit points in effect during holidays and long weekends. Police are on alert for drink driving offenses and with more Random Breath Testing (RBT) units on our roads, if you drink and drive, you’re much more likely to be caught than at any other time of the year. There are serious consequences for drink driving so if you are caught, get legal advice from an expert in traffic law as soon as possible.

Plan for Traffic Delays

If you can, plan to get away early or use a road traffic app to avoid getting stuck in heavy traffic. But remember, even the best laid plans can go awry during the Christmas holidays, so plan for traffic delays and make sure you have plenty of water on board. You may also want to consider keeping extra food, medicine and other essentials handy just in case.

Preparing Your Car for Long Distance Travel

Travelling in summer can lead to engines over-heating and other mechanical problems, so it’s a good idea to book your car in for a service before you head off on your adventure. It’s also a good idea to have some sort of road side assistance coverage on your car in case it breaks down. And because it’s summer, working air conditioning in your car is a must! It’s also a good idea to have a first aid kit handy as you never know when you or someone else might need it.

Take Regular Rest Breaks

Driver fatigue is one of the biggest causes of accidents on our roads, so plan to stop and rest for at least 15 minutes every 2-3 hours. During the holidays there will be more many more driver reviver rest stops on our highways where drivers can get a free cup of coffee or tea. Our major highways by-pass many country towns these days, so do make use of the Driver Reviver sites on the east coast. Please note that if you’re going to be travelling inland or in the Australian outback, you’ll need to bring plenty of food and water with you, as roadhouses, service stations (and even McDonalds) are few and far between.

Where You Can Get More Information

Your first stop on the web should be the roads and traffic authority in your state or territory. This is where you’ll find information about traffic apps, driver reviver sites and penalties for speeding and other traffic offenses. You’ll also find more tips for holiday driving.