Wet weather prompts safety warnings for road users

A cold and wet winter is forecasted across Australia this year, prompting figures in the motoring industry to reiterate calls for road users to be alert at all times.

With Australia currently in the thick of a La Niña weather event, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts more wild weather is set to come over the next few months, coinciding with the time of year when colder temperatures start to cause issues on the road.

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) has issued a reminder for motorists to take extra care on the roads with unpredictable weather expected over the next few months.

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“If driving conditions are dangerous, increase the gap between you and the car in front to give you more time to react and, if necessary, safely pull over,” said RACV's safety policy lead, Elvira Lazar.

“If a road is flooded, find an alternative route. Flood waters can be deeper than you think and sometimes powerful enough to wash a car right off the road – it’s simply not worth the risk.”

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Earlier this year, over 20,000 vehicles were written off in South East Queensland and northern New South Wales thanks to devatating floods, further compounding the delays buyers are facing to buy new cars.

A recent Government report detailed Australia's poor quality of roads in rural areas was a major contributing factor to the country's road toll, with the National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA) saying the conditions of rural roads providing little room for error.

Australia's 2021 road toll was 1126, an increase of 16 over the year before, although this year's toll is anticipated to be higher due to nationwide and state lockdowns over the past two years limiting the amount of road travel.