Australia's Road Hazards - What They Are & How To Avoid Them

• By: Editor
• On: 21/Oct/2009
• In: Australia Travel Tips

The last thing you want on your journey is a collision or accident involving wild animals along the roadside:

·    Be vigilant if you like to travel at night – you could have a nasty adventure that you certainly had not planned for! If you are travelling in the outback, you could well come across some kangaroos and other livestock in the middle and all over the road, especially at night, and particularly in non-urban locations.

·    It’s well known that kangaroos are nocturnal animals and are known to jump right in front of your vehicle! The headlights will dazzle them, and they usually remain rigid, and you may well hit them, and have an unwelcome accident.

·    Many farmlands would border the roads and would be totally unfenced, which means that in places, farm animals such as sheep and cattle would graze by the roadside and probably venture across to the other side – so be vigilant!

·    Watch out for wombats – these animals can weigh up to 40 pounds. They are usually around at night, but you might come across dead ones on the road throughout daylight hours, so be careful, especially if having to cross over the road to avoid a carcass. Unless you are travelling along the south and southeastern coasts, you may not encounter them at all.

·    Dangerous animals such as black alligators are obviously to be avoided and are to be found along the northeastern coastline.

·    Wild birds are also a danger along the road – as they trail dead carcasses. Usually the hawks fly off quite quickly, but the larger eagles can be quite slower to move off. So be careful. Other animals to watch out for include slow moving lizards, as you cross over to avoid a carcass you could hit an approaching lizard.

·    Avoid following "Road Trains" in Australia. "Road Trains" in Australian language mean large truck vehicles that have two or perhaps three trailers attached. They move quite fast along the road and can overtake you, or you may find it very hard to overtake them. Stay well behind them, as they can cause stone damage to a windscreen, or create a lot of dust, especially during the day. If you are travelling at night, don’t follow them as they can travel over dead animals without you knowing there is one or more carcasses ahead, as their vehicle is of a higher level.

·    Petrol or Gas Stations in Australia may be more than a hundred miles apart so please ensure that you are well filled up with petrol/diesel for your journey.

·    Drive during the day if at all possible – do not travel at night for the most obvious reason – reduced visibility.

·    Carry plenty of water whilst you are travelling, and ensure that the engine of your vehicle has sufficient oil and water, and the tyre pressure is correct.

In order to be more vigilant about Australian Road Safety, read more about the Rules of the Road in Australia.

Hope you found our guide to the road hazards of Australia useful. For the best deals in car hire, visit our Car Rentals Australia page.

Have you been to Australia and traveled around the country? We would welcome any travel advice so as to deal with any road hazards you may have encountered. If you have any Australia Travel information please let us know. As always, we appreciate your comments.