Perversely, this essential skill is not taught to learners...
In the following scenario, an untrained, inexperienced driver and an experienced, trained driver head over a crest on the highway, in the wet, in identical vehicles. Over the crest there is an obstacle blocking the road. It can be anything you really would not like to hit – a crash between two vehicles, a broken-down truck, a drunk pedestrian or a cow in the middle of your lane. When the problem becomes
Running onto the soft shoulder can put a dent in your day
The soft shoulder at the side of your average back road catches a lot of people out, and potentially turns a simple error into a massive head-on collision or rollover at highway speeds. A driver loses concentration on the highway, and runs the two left-hand wheels onto the soft shoulder. The car feels light, starts to drift left. The driver panics, often over-correcting. A few seconds later …
re are 10 Tips for Safer Highway Driving
- Pack loose objects in the boot. In station wagons, 4WDs and SUVs, use a cargo net or think about installing a cargo barrier, or at least pack everything securely forward with heaqvy objects against the rear seat backs. Remember that too many heavy items on roof racks increases rollover risk, especially on 4WDs.
- Entertain the kids – not too
Road safety starts well before you even get the car out onto the road. Why? Well, it might not look it, but the driveway at home can be a very dangerous place. A place where great care is needed if the safety of children is a priority.
According to Kidsafe, the domestic driveway is the next most common cause of childhood traumatic death after
In NSW, six people have died during police pursuits in the past two years – pursuits generally initiated after traffic offences. The fleeing driver is generally a young man, often with no license, often with a significant - or at least extensive - criminal record.
Police claim pursuits are necessary. When she was police commissioner in Victoria, Christine Nixon told Melbourne’s The Age newspaper the community would not support police giving a "green light" to fleeing suspects.