Think! Road Safety in regional South Australia as grain harvest gets underway

Monday, 9 November 2020

As the weather starts to warm up across South Australia, grain harvest gets underway across our grain growing regions.

The harvest period, which typically runs through to January, sees our regional roads become busier with large agricultural and heavy vehicles transporting grain around SA.

With more people holidaying here this year and travelling throughout the state, we’re reminding all road users to Think! Road Safety when driving in regional areas.

If you’re planning a trip into SA regions, make sure you:

- Plan ahead, be patient and alert, and drive carefully

- Don’t exceed the speed limit

- Drive to the conditions, especially when visibility is low

- Keep headlights on at all times

- Ensure it’s safe to do so before overtaking trucks and large agricultural vehicles, and leave plenty of room

- Slow down when approaching slower vehicles, or vehicles entering or leaving the road

- Be aware of blind spots for heavy vehicles, as they have bigger blind spots than cars

Agricultural and heavy vehicles require a longer distance to stop, have limitations in their ease of movement, and can be much wider and longer than expected so it’s important to be patient and wait until it’s safe to overtake, leaving plenty of room.

Visibility on roads may be reduced at times due to dust being stirred up in paddocks, so it’s essential to always drive to the conditions and keep headlights switched on during the day and night.

Locals in regional areas are urged not to become complacent, and to stay alert and share the roads responsibly, while heavy vehicle drivers and farmers are reminded to make sure they are displaying correct signage, comply with conditions and regulations, keep an eye on mass limits, and don’t drive when fatigued.

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility, so please be respectful of other road users and share the road safely.

For safe driving tips, visit: https://www.mylicence.sa.gov.au/safe-driving-tips