As the great grey nomad migration really gets into full swing, the roads are becoming noticeably busier and the need for patience and concentration is becoming ever more critical.
Sadly, this week has seen another serious accident involving a grey nomad who was incredibly lucky to escape with his life. The 74-year-old Victorian man cheated death on Monday when his Toyota LandCruiser, towing a caravan, collided with a road train on the Gregory Highway just minutes north of Emerald in Queensland.
Amazingly, the man escaped from the horrific-looking crash with only minor injuries and was treated by ambulance officers and taken to Emerald Base Hospital for observation. Needless to say, arguments with road trains rarely have such a relatively happy ending.
“There is more traffic on the road at this time of the year and it is important all motorists plan their trips – we’re asking everyone to be more vigilant over the coming period,” Queensland Police Regional Traffic Inspector, Virginia Nelson told the Central Queensland News. “As it is tourist season, there are a lot more grey nomads on the road and everyone just needs to be a bit more patient… most of the accidents police attend are completely preventable.”
Hopefully, it is a message that will resonate with grey nomads but that, of course, it is only half the story. All road users need to exercise the same patience and care that we have to have while driving.
“People seem to get impatient sitting behind caravans and they end up taking risks that they really should not have,” said Emerald Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Captain Logan Macintosh, who also urged drivers not to ignore signs of fatigue. “Unfortunately history shows it to be a busy time of the year for us.”
Let’s all play our part in keeping the roads as safe as possible at this, and all other times of year. Let’s drive with courtesy, patience and consideration … and hope and pray that others do the same.
