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Outback travellers warned: ‘Be careful out there!’

Published: July 10, 2017

With grey nomads fleeing the southern chill in huge numbers, they are once again being warned to prepare for the potential hazards that await then as they travel in remote country.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is urging everyone venturing into the Outback to be ready for the challenges … and to take enormous care on the roads. It reports that two-thirds of Australians live in cities, but half of up to 1300 annual road deaths occur in remote and rural areas.

“A quarter of the emergency medical evacuations the Flying Doctor responds to each year involve city travellers on Outback adventures,” said Karen Barlow, Senior Flight Nurse. “The distances are greater and the temperatures much hotter, which can result in driver fatigue.”

She warned that while the roads might be less busy, surfaces can vary greatly, and wildlife can be a real hazard.

The RFDS has just issued a range of Outback travel tips in an effort to help grey nomads and others travellers stay safe.

These include:

• Get good quality maps and plan your route.
• Don’t travel in the hottest part of the year.
• Be careful of how much you pack on your roof rack; a heavy load on top increases the chances of a roll-over.
• Store water in small containers instead of one large tank and check all water containers for leaks.
• In very hot conditions aim to carry 10 litres of water per person per day and don’t rely on waterholes, dams, bores, mills, tanks or troughs for water.
• Get a summary of your medical history and bring all medication and repeat scripts with you.
• Take a hat, sunscreen and insect repellent.
• In an emergency dial 000 and be prepared to give your location.
• If you own a smartphone download the ‘Emergency +’ app which will indicate your longitude and latitude and assist emergency services, including the RFDS, to find you.
• If you don’t have a smartphone, keep an eye on the crossroads as you travel and mark your location on a map.
• Be aware that some very remote areas have no mobile coverage so make a satellite phone part of your travel pack.

– What other tips would you add to the list? Comment below.