Police in Cape York are desperately appealing to grey nomads – as well as other travellers and locals alike – to be more careful on the region’s notorious roads.
The warning comes after a spate of nasty accidents, some of which may have been the result of excessive speed, fatigue, or just plain carelessness.
“After a series of recent and potentially serious single vehicle traffic crashes, we are pleading with locals and tourists driving the Peninsula Developmental Road to slow down, don’t drive impaired or tired, pay attention, wear seatbelts and just drive to the road conditions,” said Acting Sergeant Derek Hicks from Coen Police. “It’s imperative that motorists take extra care when travelling on dirt roads such as the Peninsula Developmental Road.”
Police say motorists need to change their behaviour behind the wheel, to slow down and beware of soft edges and loose gravel.
Just last weekend, a woman had to be airlifted by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) to Cairns Hospital and an 18-month-old child admitted for observation after their vehicle rolled several times approximately 50 kilometres north of Coen on the Peninsula Developmental Road.
“On the day this crash happened, Coen Police intercepted two other motorists and charged them with drink driving offences on the Peninsula Developmental Road,” said Sergeant Hicks. “We continue to focus on the fatal five along this stretch of road.”
It surprises me the number of travelers I come across that do not know to lower tyre pressures and to drive slower on dirt roads. Many seem hell bent on getting there as fast as they can and many pay the cost.
I recently came across a driver, a long way from everywhere, that had suffered two flat tyres in the last ten kms – and he hadn’t even got to the rough stuff yet! He was busy trying to fit the full gnarly mud terrain tyre from his camper trailer to the front of his 4×4 which was running highway terrain tyres.
I could foresee all sorts of problems like rubbing the guards and upsetting the balance of the steering and suspension.
When I suggested he should check tyre pressures his comment was “I got it serviced before I left and the mechanic would have done that because I told him where I was going.”
He obviously wasn’t going to take my advice so I left him to it and I hope he got there.
I serviced my vehicle too but I lowered pressures and slowed down as soon as I hit the dirt. Result: 2000Km on rough dirt roads towing a 6m offroad tandem caravan and guess what – no flat tyres.
Set your vehicle up properly and slow down – it’s a beautiful country. It’s better to have as few problems as possible rather than get there quickly.
Absolutely, a friend who lives in Weipa mentioned to me a few days ago that there is a culture of careless driving, speeding and abuse against drivers who drive carefully and to the road conditions. He now only travels at night when driving on the Cape to avoid these idiots.
D###h#### in 4 x 4 ‘s with an attatuide that they can go anywhere at any time and do not care about anybody else. That’s why we do not go up to the cape any more. They have to do it in a day, and MINE IS BETTER THAN YOURS. DUMB