Motorists - Disability Safety

Motorists - Cars, Trucks, Motorcyles

Safety Tips for Drivers

Be Smart and Safe

Distractions

There are many distractions on the road and in the car that you need to be aware of.

On the Road

Be aware of traffic signals
Follow the traffic signs
Watch out for children and animals
Be careful with different weather conditions
Be careful of pedestrians that are not looking

In the Car

Do not eat or drink whilst driving
Do not use your mobile phone
Do not text whilst driving
Keep your eyes on the road not in the glove box or bag next to you
Make sure children and animals are restrained in the back seat of the car

Drivers are faced with a lot of distractions when driving.

Limit these by:

Turning down the radio
Putting away your phone
Not eating and drinking whilst driving
Keeping focused

Horses on the Road:

Under the Australian Road Rules, a horse is considered a vehicle and therefore is permitted to be ridden on the road. If you see a horse and rider on or near a road you should:

treat the horse as a potential hazard
slow down and, when safe, pass with care
stop your vehicle on the left side of the road and turn off the engine if the horse is unsettled or the rider signals this to you
not accelerate or rev your engine near a horse
not sound your horn or make unnecessary noise
not throw objects or shout at a horse or rider.

CLICK HERE TO Find out what to do when you are in an accident

Eyes on the road,
hands on the wheel

Buckle up – Wear your seat belt

Don't do the flick.

Make sure you hear that seat belt click.

Wearing a seat belt has saved many lives.

Wearing a seat belt can prevent you from getting thrown out of the vehicle in case of a crash, which decreases their chances of injury or death.

Make sure you and all your passengers have a seat belt on – it is the law in NSW.

When to turn lights on car

You must turn your vehicle headlights on:

At sunrise and sunset
In fog
When it rains or in a storm
When you cannot see at least 100m ahead of you

Watch the NSW Road Rules Video ->

Never loose sight.

Just use your head lights.

Do not Drink and Drive

Drinking can impact your reflexes, sense of judgment, directions, and decision-making skills.

If you have had a drink, ask a friend or family member who is not drinking to drive you home or catch a taxi.

Before you do anything – think.

Never drive and drink
Not only would you stink
Your car could likely get a serious kink.

Reaction time

Sometimes it is harder to judge things if you do not have experience.

Distance – things can be closer than you think.
You think you have time to brake – but its sooner than you thought.
People with disability sometimes need more time to react. Take the time to prepare yourself.

The average driver takes approximately ¾ of a second to recognize a threat and ¾ of a second to apply the brakes.

Things may be closer

than you think. You may

not even have time to blink.

Watch the Weather

Driving in rain, storms or cold weather is a safety hazard.

If you do not feel comfortable, do not drive.
Cold weather causes frost that may be slippery
Rain and Storms make the road slippery and sometimes hard to see the road. Put your defroster on and pull over if it is hard to see.
Practise driving in the rain when you are learning to drive

Slow down in the rain,

there is nothing to gain

and you can avoid all the pain.

Speeding - Slow Down

Over 50% of speeding crashes involve male drivers aged between 17 and 39 years old.

If you speed:

you have less time to avoid a crash
your distance before you can stop is longer
if you crash it may be worse at higher speeds
it’s easier to lose control especially in the rain

Follow the road speed limits that are displayed on the roads.

You must concede

there's no need to speed

Are you Sleepy?

Fall asleep at the wheel

and you will find yourself
in a stressful ordeal.

Fatigue accounts for 20% of road deaths in NSW.

Drivers feeling sleepy can affect everyone no matter your level of experience

When you are tired, your body is telling you that you need to stop, rest or sleep

Signs of Driver Fatigue includes:

Yawning
Poor concentration
Tired or sore eyes
Restlessness
Drowsiness
Slow reactions
Boredom
Feeling irritable
Making fewer and larger steering corrections
Missing road signs
Having difficulty staying in the lane

If you are driving:

Get plenty of sleep
Avoid starting a long drive at the end of the day
Avoid driving when you would normally be asleep or between 10pm and 6am
Share driving
Stop Revive Survive for 15min every 2 hours
Have light snacks (instead of fatty food)
Avoid too much coffee and soft drinks
Drink plenty of water
Do not drink alcohol
Stop when you are tired
Stop safety at a roadside rest area

Be Prepared

What you need in your car

Your car registration
Your insurance details
Your emergency contacts
EMERGENCY KIT
- torch
- pen and paper
- jumper cables
- first aid kit
- warning triangle

Download the Flagstaff Glove Box Card on the resources page.

Horses