MAKE A TRAVEL PLAN
- Plan your trip.
- Check your vehicle’s roadworthiness, tyres, lights and brakes.
- Plan places to stop for exercise after each hour or half-hour’s driving. (Where you can walk briskly, and have tea, coffee or a snack.)
- Have a good night’s sleep the night before.
- Have a light meal before you leave.
- Don’t drink alcohol before or during the trip.
- Take someone for company. If weary, make conversation.
- Share the driving.
- Be considerate and patient with other road users.
- Let others know about your travel plans.
BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
- Are your seatbelts in good condition and not worn? Do buckles work properly, and are they easily adjustable so they fit properly across your body?
- Have you installed inertia lap-sash safety belts for greater protection and ease while travelling? Lap belts are not as safe as lap-sash belts.
- Have you adjusted rear vision mirrors, including side mirrors?
- Are seats comfortably and safely adjusted, to minimise fatigue as well as injury in case of an accident?
- Are children safely seated with approved child restraints?
- Are packages, luggage and loose items safely stored behind seat backs, so then cannot fly forward in a collision?
- For station wagons, vans and hatchbacks, consider fitting an Australian Standard steel mesh cargo barrier behind the driver or passenger seat, particularly if you travel a lot with loose items on board.
- Remember, it is illegal and dangerous for anyone to travel behind a cargo barrier.
MECHANICAL SAFETY
Before going on holiday or a long trip, here are some mechanical safety checks you should have made:
- Brakes, steering, headlights, brake lights, tail-lights and indi
- Tyres for depth of tread. Smooth tyres can cause skids, loss of control and blowouts
- Correct tyre inflation. Low pressure gives less grip on the road, and can lead to blowouts.
- Carry basic tools – at least to change a tyre.
- Make sure the spare wheel is in good condition and properly inflate
- Carry enough water to top up the radiator if necessary.

LONG DRIVES
- Plan your trips to avoid long hours of driving, particularly in darkness after a normal working day.
- Weariness is much more dangerous when you drive during your normal sleeping hours.
- Even minor ailments like headaches and colds can affect your ability to concentrate and react to the behaviour of other drivers.
- To delay fatigue, make sure the vehicle is well ventilated.
- Small drinks of tea, coffee and water help keep you alert, but avoid alcohol.
- Chewing gum works well for some driver
- Once fatigue has taken hold, stop the vehicle. Take a complete break from driving.
- If there is no co-driver, have a sleep, with your vehicle safely parked and doors and windows safe from intruders.
SIGNS OF FATIGUE
- Eyelids become heavy.
- Day dreamin
- Traffic situations misjudge
- Vehicle speeds vary with no apparent reaso
- Overtaking vehicles startle
- Vehicle wanders near the verge or centre line.
- Feeling cramped and fidge
- Continual and unavoidable yawnin
- Rash decisions due to impatience.