NRMA shares road safety tips for young drivers

IAG-backed insurer NRMA Insurance (NRMA) has released some road safety tips as students join end-of-school celebrations.

To ensure a safe journey to “schoolies” and “leavers” celebrations, NRMA has developed a checklist of actions students must take before departing on their trips. The checklist outlines key steps to prepare the passengers and the vehicle for the trip and top safety reminders when behind the wheel.

High on the checklist is ensuring the car has been serviced recently and that basic mechanical components such as oil and tyre pressure are checked. Other ways to prepare for a trip include:

• Learning how to check the oil and water, filling up the windscreen wiper fluid, and ensuring you have top up supplies in case they’re needed;
• Ensuring you have a spare tyre and emergency kit and learning how to change a tyre; and
• Being familiar with the car you are driving.

On the road, ways to ensure safety are:

• Taking a new or borrowed car for a test run a few days before the trip to get used to the nuances and features between different cars;
• Always driving to the conditions – for example, in rainy weather or low visibility, reduce your speed by 10km/h;
• Taking your time to arrive at the destination – take breaks or respond to the conditions;
• Ensuring your friends do not distract you while you are driving;
• Being aware that wildlife could stray onto roads in country areas; and
• Never driving tired.

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David Wilkes, executive manager for motor assessing at NRMA, said the drive to popular end-of-school celebrations such as the Gold Coast, Byron Bay, and Dunsborough may be the longest road trip many probationary drivers have ever made. Therefore, being free of distractions is essential, as is leaving enough braking distance between the vehicle in front and using high beams on poorly lit roads at night.

“With summer holidays around the corner, there are more people travelling on our roads in addition to the influx of students heading to schoolies and leavers. It is critical that young people are prepared for any situation that could occur while in the driver's seat,” he said. “NRMA Insurance has been protecting Australians and the things they care about for more than 95 years. We have seen the impacts of travelling long hours on the roads and want to make sure our young drivers are protected and keeping safety front-of-mind while they mark this exciting milestone in their lives.

“I would also remind drivers of the most important thing – don't forget to let your parents or guardian know you have arrived safely at your destination.”