“Don’t let safety take a holiday this long weekend” urges the RAA to South Australian motorists, as the state prepares for what could be a wet and foggy King’s Birthday long weekend.
The June long weekend is always a busy and fun time for everyone in SA, but with more people out travelling on our roads, it is important to remember to drive safely.
Between 2018 and 2022, there were 184 casualty crashes during the June long weekend. Data from 2023 revealed a significant improvement, with no fatalities record on SA roads, marking the first fatality-free King’s Birthday weekend since 2020.
With the hope to see the same positive data outcome this year, RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain has shared his advice on driving safety:
“Our regional roads and highways are set to be busy this long weekend with people heading away,” Charles Mountain said.
“As this is our only winter long weekend, drivers should keep in mind the increased risks of winter driving – especially with rain and morning fog on the forecast for many areas of the state.
“The most common types of casualty crashes over the June long weekend are rear end and hit fixed object crashes – which is consistent with common crash types when roads are wet.
“To prevent these types of crashes, check your tyres have the minimum tread of 1.5mm before setting off and make sure to leave a gap of at least three seconds between you and the vehicle in front.
“We also see an alarming spike in roll over casualty crashes over this long weekend – there were 21 roll overs in the five-year period which could highlight the risk of excessive speed or distraction.
“If you’re driving through fog, slow down and turn on your fog lights or low beam headlights – not your high beams which can blind other drivers.
“We also need to be extra alert to the presence of pedestrians or cyclists, who may be harder to see at this time of year.
“Remember the Fatal 5 causes of road trauma – distraction, excessive speed, driving under the influence, not wearing a seatbelt and dangerous road user behaviour – to ensure you don’t let safety take a holiday this long weekend.”
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