OPINION: Avoid travel during times of high risk

With the downpour of rain late last week and over the weekend it may not be apparent the dry season has arrived.

But it won’t be long before we experience an influx of travellers on our roads and an increase in local residents, including native wildlife, taking advantage of the cooler weather and venturing out.

Native wildlife and roaming animals, such as cattle, are prevalent in the area and are particularly hazardous to road users.

Where possible, we recommend avoiding travel during times of high risk, such as during dusk and dawn when animals are more active and our eyesight has to adapt to the changing levels of brightness in the environment.

If travel is unavoidable always drive within the visibility of your headlights during hours of darkness, reduce your speed and be alert to the unpredictable nature of animals.

You will also notice an increase in road train traffic. Where some less experienced country drivers have issue is they fail to factor in the length of a road train when overtaking.

To provide some perspective, it can take up to 2.5km to overtake a road train when travelling at 100km/h.

This means you will need a long stretch of clear straight road before you can consider overtaking safely, and if towing a caravan, overtaking a road train is not recommended.

As a courtesy, if you are in this situation and travelling behind a road train while towing a caravan, remember to check your mirrors regularly to ensure there is not a build-up of traffic behind you.

If there is, take the time to pull over at a safe location and let traffic pass before restarting your journey.

Each and every road user has a responsibility to contribute, promote and improve the safety on our roads. Be courteous, patient and arrive home safely.

For 24-hour police assistance, call Broome Police Station on 131 444 or in an emergency dial 000. Anyone with information for police should call Broome Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.