Drive To Conditions Toolbox Talk June 2017 DRIVE

Drive To Conditions Toolbox Talk June 2017

DRIVE TO CONDITIONS • 195 people died on WA roads in 2016 Ø 119 of those deaths were on regional roads Ø 26 of those deaths were on roads in the South West region • South West roads present unique challenges Ø Roads and roadsides conditions vary – sealed/unsealed, marked/unmarked, maintained/needing attention, etc Ø Weather conditions vary – rain, fog, smoke, sunstrike, etc Ø Traffic conditions vary – types of vehicles and volumes How prepared are you to deal with these different conditions? **

ROAD CONDITIONS – SEALED AND UNSEALED ROADS We have many different road conditions throughout our region. What challenges do we face on unsealed roads and how can we respond? • Tyres can spin or lose grip – slow down, take particular care on bends and do not brake suddenly • Vehicles on gravel and dirt roads create dust and make visibility poor – increase your following distance What challenges do we face on sealed roads and how can we respond? • Many sealed roads are narrow, winding and have gravel edges • Follow warning signs – they are there for a reason • Don’t become complacent – just because you have driven the same route previously doesn’t mean conditions haven’t changed • Other experiences or advice? **

ROAD CONDITIONS – MARKED AND UNMARKED LANES How can we be safe on unmarked roads? • Keep as far left as possible, especially when turning left and going up hill • Only overtake if essential • Other experiences or advice? How can we be safe on roads with two or more marked lanes? • Keep left – if the speed limit is >80 kmh, you are NOT permitted to drive in the right lane unless turning right, overtaking, or traffic is congested • Use dedicated overtaking lanes where possible • Other experiences or advice? **

ROAD CONDITIONS – ROADWORKS Roadworks are essential to upgrading and maintaining our network What can we do to keep ourselves and others safe at roadworks? • Slow down and follow all directions including speed and lane restrictions • Do this even when workers are not on site as conditions can be dangerous • Watch out for road workers – they want to get home safely too • Visit www. mainroads. wa. gov. au or call 138 for a Travel Map of incidents and roadworks or to report road faults • Other experiences or advice? **

WEATHER CONDITIONS – WET WEATHER We face a wide variety of weather conditions on our roads What dangers does wet weather present and how can we respond? • Plan your journey, where possible avoid travel during adverse conditions • Adjust your speed for prevailing conditions • Roads can be slippery – do not use your cruise control • It takes longer to stop your vehicle – increase your following distance • Visibility can also be poor – check your windscreen and wipers • Use your air conditioner, demister or windows to stop your windscreen from misting up • Don’t cross floodways or river crossings without checking it is safe to do so – use alternative routes where possible • Other experiences or advice? **

WEATHER CONDITIONS – FOG & SMOKE What dangers do fog or smoke present on our roads and how should we respond to stay safe? • Dip your headlights so you can see more easily – high beam only lights up the fog or smoke • Use fog lights if you have them – but not at the same time as your headlights as this is illegal • Slow down and increase your following distance • If visibility is too poor, pull over in a safe location and wait for it to clear • Other experiences or advice? **

WEATHER CONDITIONS - SUNSTRIKE What dangers does sunstrike present on our roads and how can we respond to stay safe? • Where possible, avoid driving around sunset and sunrise • Have sunglasses at hand • Keep your windscreen clean – use a quality glass cleaner • Use your car’s sun visors • If these measures don’t work, pull over – the glare shouldn't be so fierce after a few minutes • Other experiences or advice? **

WEATHER CONDITIONS – NIGHT DRIVING What dangers does night driving present and how can we respond to stay safe? • Sight distance is reduced meaning it takes longer to respond to hazards – drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the area lit by your headlights • Your headlights show you what is straight ahead but not around bends – when entering curves at night, slow down and be alert • Use your high beam for better visibility – but not within 200 m of other vehicles • Keep your windscreen and headlights clean • Stop and rest if you feel fatigue – fatigue is the silent killer on our roads • Other experiences or advice? **

TRAFFIC CONDITIONS – TRAFFIC VOLUMES & MIX What challenges do the different traffic volumes and mix on our road present and how can we respond to keep ourselves and others safe? • The diverse range of vehicles on our roads have different stopping, turning, accelerating and speed capabilities – respect each of them • Plan your trip – avoid busy travel times where possible and allow sufficient time to reach your destination safely • In good conditions, allow at least a two second distance between you and vehicle in front – double or triple that in poor conditions • Only overtake where it is safe, preferably at a dedicated passing lane • Other experiences or advice? **

TRAFFIC CONDITIONS – HEAVY HAULAGE What can we do to share the road safely with heavy haulage vehicles? • Heavy haulage vehicles take a long time to overtake – do so safely, preferably in a dedicated passing lane or on a long straight stretch • Large vehicles need more time and space than a car to stop – don’t cut in front of them Ø A light vehicle travelling at 100 kmh will take 122 m to stop in dry conditions – a road train will take over double that distance to stop • Don’t travel in trucks’ blind spots – if you can’t see the drivers’ side mirror the driver cannot see you • Large vehicles need to make wide turns – give them the space they need • Other experiences or advice? **

TRAFFIC CONDITIONS – OVERSIZED LOADS What can we do to share our roads safely with oversized loads? • Follow the direction of pilot vehicles • When you see the pilot vehicle, slow down, remain at slow speed until the oversized vehicle passes or stop if directed to • If directed to move over or off the road, do so safely – check the condition of the roadside especially for drop-offs • Overtaking oversized vehicles can be dangerous – only do so if directed to do so by the pilot vehicle or if you’re certain it is safe to do so • Oversized vehicles will periodically pull over to allow traffic to pass • Other experiences or advice? **

TRAFFIC CONDITIONS – MOTORCYCLISTS AND CYCLISTS What can we do to share our roads safely with motorcyclists and cyclists? • Riders can be difficult to see – check your blind spots before moving • Take extra care when overtaking – keep a safe distance • Be careful not to cut riders off when turning left – wait for them to pass • Other experiences or advice? **

TRAFFIC CONDITIONS – ANIMALS ON ROADS What dangers do animals pose on our roads and how can we stay safe? • Wildlife is more active at dawn/dusk – avoid travelling then if possible • If you see animals on the road or roadside, slow down and be aware of their unpredictable nature • If an animal appears suddenly on the road in front of you, brake firmly and sound your horn • Do not try to swerve around the animal as you are likely to lose control • If you do hit a large animal and kill it, try to remove the carcass from the road for the safety of others • If it is unsafe to remove the carcass, call Main Roads on 138 • Other experiences or advice? **

DRIVE 2 CONDITIONS • Fellow South West road users and members of the Industry Road Safety Alliance share their experiences and their thoughts on what we can do to help keep ourselves and others safe by driving to conditions: Ø https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Ap. BW 1 r 7 LJC 8