Think! Road Safety on regional SA roads with grain harvest underway

Monday, 21 November 2022

Road users are reminded to take extra care while travelling in South Australia’s regions over the coming months as grain harvest gets underway.

The harvest period, which usually runs through to January, will see an increase in heavy vehicle movements and farming machinery on country roads across the state.

With the harvest period coinciding with the school and summer holidays, holidaymakers, tourists, and locals alike are reminded to Think! Road Safety and plan ahead, be patient and drive carefully when travelling through these regions.

If you’re heading out into regional SA, ensure you:

• Keep to the speed limit
• Be patient, attentive and drive carefully
• Wait until safe to overtake trucks and large agricultural vehicles, ensuring you leave plenty of room
• Drive to the conditions, especially when visibility is low
• Be aware of blind spots for heavy vehicles, as they have bigger blind spots than cars
• Slow down when approaching slower vehicles, or vehicles entering or leaving the road
• Keep your headlights on when driving both day and night.

Heavy vehicles can be much longer and wider than you expect, requiring greater distances to stop and safely manoeuvre on the road. Road users are reminded to be patient, approach with caution and always wait until it is safe before overtaking.

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 both the day and night.

After widespread heavy rainfall in November, particularly in the Riverland, Mid-North and Outback regions, please continue to obey all signage and always watch out for road workers who may be active along the road network undertaking repairs.

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