Work has begun on putting new line markings along a 770-kilometre stretch of the Stuart Highway between Port Augusta and Marla.
It is hoped the $3 million upgrade will significantly improve safety for road users along a notoriously dangerous stretch of highway. Between 2008 and 2012 there were 86 crashes along this piece of road which involved a vehicle leaving the road. The Transcontinental newspaper reports that 10 lives have been lost because of those crashes.
“These specific type of markings – know as Audio Tactile Line Markings (ATLM) – make noise and cause the vehicle to vibrate when tyres role over them,” said South Australia’s Minister for Road Safety, Tony Piccolo. “They alert road users that their vehicle is veering towards the road edge.”
Speed restrictions are in place while the work is carried out to ensure the safety of road workers and the travelling public … and the many grey nomads heading north at this time of year are being asked to be patient. The line marking operation is expected to be completed by the end of August.
Have you ever been alerted to impending danger by the sound of audio tactile line markings? Comment below.
If they are lie the rumble strips it has got my vote
Those rumble strips and edge markings are a huge safety boon for all drivers, not just grey nomads.
This grey nomad still has an MC licence and a couple of million kilometres under his belt.
Please don’t imply that it is only grey nomads that will benefit. We are not doddering fools.
My first contact with them, I thought that my front end of the vehicle was about to fall apart. Now I know what the sound and vibration is for and it make great safety advice to me.
‘Jay&Dee