With the holiday and festive season fast approaching, now is probably a timely reminder to take care and be safe on our local and regional roads.
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Up until recent times, Covid restrictions have prevented us from travelling our local district to visit our families and friends. But with the easing of restrictions our freedom to travel our local and regional roads to see our family and friends having been restored, lets remember a couple of key road safety issues.
Ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and in good condition before you set off on any length of trip. Until recently, our motor vehicle use has been restricted to running around our local towns and therefore some aspects of vehicle maintenance may have been overlooked. With the recent and continued rain simple things like ensuring your headlights and wipers work and having good tyres on your vehicle go a long way to improving your chances of having a safe trip.
Remember to have regular rest breaks when driving and if the option is available change drivers regularly. Fatigue is still one of the main contributing factors to both serious injury and or fatal crashes on our local and regional roads. Ensure that you are adequately rested before setting off on a trip or waiting until you have had enough rest before commencing your trip.
Due to large amount of rainfall in our local area in the previous months, our local and regional roads are not in the best shape. Large wash outs and potholes plague most roads and can cause damage to vehicles and or cause motorists to lose control of their vehicles. Be aware and pay attention to the road you are travelling on, slow down and drive to the conditions. This also includes if you are driving in rain or inclement weather.
Impaired drivers, either through alcohol consumption or illicit drug use, also continue to be one of our main contributing factors to both serious injury and or fatal crashes on our local and regional roads. Do not drive if you have been consuming alcohol and or illicit drugs. Even excessive use of some prescription medications can impair your own driving ability. Plan alternate methods of transport to end of year celebrations and Christmas parties, therefore removing the temptation to drive home at the end of the night. Also consider that the morning after a night where alcohol was consumed, you could still be over the limit to drive. Remember, if you don't think you are right to drive then you probably aren't.
Myself along with all of my colleagues here at The Hume Police District want you all to enjoy the upcoming holiday and festive season. Please take your time when setting off on a trip and don't take unnecessary risks on our roads. We want you all to arrive safely at your destination and enjoy this special time of year.