Outback driving tips. What you need

to know to stay safe and enjoy your holiday.

If you happen to run into trouble look at the situation and the various options available to you. Whatever you do, make sure you stay with your vehicle, unless you know for sure that help is nearby, and you know how to get there.

Your vehicle is a source of water, food and a place to shelter from a blazing sun, do not underestimate the heat of the sun as it can get up to 140 degrees, a killing heat if you ignore the basic safety rules.

If you have a piece of canvas or other material spread it over your vehicle to keep it cooler, if you have no material take the bonnet off and use it.

You can only last about 3 days without water so conserve your water.
If you need to look for water do so in the morning when it is cooler. Conserve you body so that it does not need so much water.
Without food you can survive about 3 weeks and it is better to have 1 meal a day than to eat a lot of snacks.

It is almost impossible to find 1 or 2 people in several thousand sq kilometres of the Australian outback but not so hard to find a vehicle, so stay with your vehicle.

This is a list of things you should always have on board when going on an Aussie Outback drive:

What to do if you are stuck in sand or mud.

While working make sure you drink enough water, wear a hat and take frequent breaks, also make sure you cover your body to conserve your body moisture. If you need to work don't do so in the heat of the day consider waiting for the cooler time of the day the morning or evening. You're not helping anyone if you get heat stroke on top of getting bogged!

You might even be lucky enough for someone else to come along in the meantime and give you a hand but do not count on this happening people are few and far between in the outback.

But nobody in the Outback ignores somebody in distress. If they see you, they will help

Passing a road train can be difficult due to it's length, which can be as much as 53m / 160 feet long. Make sure you have enough clear road in front of you when attempting to pass one of these huge trucks.

If you should encounter a road train coming towards you when on a dirt road Slow down. put at least 2 wheels on the road verge, possibly 4 wheels if you can do so safely, but remember to slow right down, skidding off the road and hitting a solid object can be very detrimental to your health and well being.

Some extra tips for Safe Outback driving.

Ask at the nearest tourist centre, or ask the locals. Ask the police, the rangers, the petrol station folks, or even enquire at the pub.
Make sure you have proper directions and a very detailed and current map of the area. This is a must.

Let someone know where you are going, a friend, the Police, just tell someone where you are driving and when you intend to be back/arrive at your destination. When you do arrive at or get back from your trip don't forget to check back in with the people you notified.

Driving in the Australian Outback gives distances a vastly different meaning than in more populated areas with bitumen roads so be aware of that.

When planning a big trip off the blacktop it's best to assume an average travel speed of about 50kms/hr on unsealed roads. Corrugations, holes, sand, river crossings and the like will slow you downto an even lower speed

Animals in the outback.

If you see kangaroos, wallabies,buffalos, emus... anything, please slow down to stay safe! they do have a bad habit of unexpectedly turning around and crossing the road .
You will come across many gates. They are there for a reason! so if they are open, please leave them open. If you find them closed make sure you close them again!

Dusk and dawn are the most dangerous times for driving so it's best just to have a break or camp for the night instead.
But having said all that it is safe to drive in the outback if you adopt and follow the common sense rules.

My upcoming extended trip to the North West.

I intend to visit , stay and explore these destinations -

It will take me about 40 days to get to Kunnunurra as there is so much to see on the way.
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