Western Australia is huge, rugged and remote. If you want to reach its many natural wonders, buckle up and prepare to drive for some serious hours, while facing some challenging conditions. Our advice? Be informed (that’s why you’re here, duh) and have a plan to help keep you safe before setting off. We promise a regional roadtrip will be an experience you will hold in your heart forever.
Five tips for driving safe in Western Australia.
- Look out for wildlife.
If you take a regional roadtrip in WA, you can bank on sharing the roads with kangaroos, emus, cattle, goats, and/or flocks of galahs. Many animals, especially kangaroos, are on the move at dawn and dusk, so it’s best to avoid driving at these times if you can.
But as they can bound out at any time, it’s important to stay alert for movement as you drive. If an animal does dash in front of you while travelling at speed, DO NOT swerve to avoid hitting it – you may roll your car. Your best bet is braking as safely as you can in a straight line, gripping the steering wheel tightly and bracing for impact.
Top tip: Install an animal whistle, which will emit a high frequency noise warning animals to stay away from your vehicle. Honking the horn may also help alert them to your presence.
2. Go like a snail on loose surfaces.
You’ll come across a fair few unsealed roads in regional Western Australia, as well as sealed roads with gravel or dirt edges. Unsealed roads are made up of loose materials like gravel, stones or dirt and they can be slippery as oil-soaked eels.
Never, and we mean NEVER, try and gun it down an unsealed road. Your tyres are way more likely to skid, meaning there’s a way greater chance you’ll lose control of your car. Visibility can be affected by the dust clouds racked up by cars ahead of you and loose stones may flick up and damage your windscreen. In wet conditions, dirt roads can fast turn into slippery mud, too. Go granny slow on rough roads, put your headlight on and always check weather conditions.
Top tip: If you’re going to spend hours travelling down a rough road, consider dropping your tyre pressures by around 20 percent for better grip (and a much smoother ride). Just remember to pump them back up again!
3. Prepare, prepare, prepare (did we mention prepare?).
We don’t mean to spook you – chances are you’ll have a very safe drive through regional Western Australia. However, ‘Future You’ will be supremely grateful to ‘Past You’ for being well prepared should a pesky emergency happen. Here’s what we recommend:
- Download the Emergency+ smartphone app. This will help you pinpoint where you are so you can share your location in emergencies or breakdowns.
- Buy a trusty paper map. Batteries die and coverage can be sketchy or non-existent in regional areas. A good paper map is as dependable as your mum’s Sunday roast.
- Always pack a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher (5kg dry powder is far more effective than 1kg) and jump leads.
- Service your vehicle and check your tyre tread before you go.
- Always tell someone where you’re going and how long you’ll be.
- Pack plenty of food and at least 5 litres of emergency water.
Top tip: Take a satellite phone. They’re not cheap but you can always on-sell them and they’re worth every cent for the peace of mind.
4. Overtake road trains with care.
Australia has some of the longest road trains in the world (some of them clock in at 60m long!). While it can grate on your nerves being stuck behind one, they take time to safely overtake so don’t attempt it until there’s a long stretch of straight road ahead with a clear view. If you’re towing a caravan or trailer, forget it. Be patient, crank some tunes and wait for an overtaking lane instead.
Top tip: Don’t try and swing back into the left-hand land until the road train’s headlights are visible in your rear-view mirror.
5. Don’t f*$k with bushfires and floods.
Regional Western Australia is home to smokin’ temperatures, cyclones and torrential flash flooding throughout the year. Before you head off on your regional roadtrip, be sure to check the weather conditions on BOM and visit the Emergency WA Warnings and Incidents Map which will keep you across any active floods, bushfires and natural disasters.
Bushfires are unpredictable and move quickly, so be sure to stringently follow advice and stay alert for fallen trees and powerlines. Flooded roads can also wreak havoc and be tricky to judge. Even with the gnarliest 4WD, it’s often difficult to know what you’re driving into.
As a rule of thumb, don’t attempt to cross a flooded road if the water level is up to your knees, if water is still flowing or if you have any doubts about making it across.
Top tip: When you see a ‘Road Closed’ sign on WA roads, it means business. Follow the directions of emergency services and don’t be tempted to drive through – you’ll be putting your life in serious danger. You can check road closures ahead of time by visiting Main Road’s Travel Map or by calling 138 138.
*We pay where we stay and only recommend the special places. Deep Dive is put together with love and lived experience, to help you explore the beautiful state of WA and the world outside of it. If you found this article useful, consider buying us a coffee to help us survive!
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