Australia Day, Easter weekend, Queen’s Birthday. There’s no shortage of long weekends in the calendar year, even if we do always feel like we deserve a few more days off. Long weekends are a popular time to get out of town and go on a short holiday, and this shows in the traffic data.
Speaking about the Friday of Australia Day weekend in particular, VicRoads Director of Road Operations Nick Fisher noted that traffic was likely to be about 20 per cent higher than its usual peak heading out of Melbourne. On Saturday, it should be busy between 5am and 1pm, while on the Sunday it would crest between 4pm and 6pm.
Clearly, holiday traffic is something that any driver would want to organise themselves around. But how do you do it?
Heading out on holiday? Here are some tips for handling the roads.The early bird catches the worm
If you can, getting an even earlier start than the expected time that roads will clog up is ideal. Of course, then you need to be aware of the risks of driver fatigue if you don’t get a good night’s sleep. The Victorian Transport Accident commission says driver fatigue is responsible for 300 injuries every year.
Get a good sleep and beat the alarm to head out on the road!
Respect the road
Keep your cool for maximum relaxation.
VicRoads raised another point that it’s easy to forget when you’re stuck in traffic – respect other road users. You won’t be the only one desperate to get out of town and enjoy your holiday, just as when you get stuck in traffic you won’t be alone in your frustration.
Keep your cool for maximum relaxation on your holiday travel.
Pack the snacks
Another downside of the holiday traffic is that it can put quite a bit of extra time onto your journey. With this in mind, Roads and Maritime Services NSW recommends packing extra medicine (if necessary), food and especially water. Holidays tend to be on the hot side – stay hydrated and stay cool. Does your car have air con?
Additionally, there are other fundamentals like regulating your speed and always driving to conditions – but we’re sure everyone understands the importance of this already. If you’re looking at getting out for your next set of holidays but want a new vehicle to handle the journey, it could be time for a novated lease.
At Alliance Leasing, we can organise this quickly and efficiently. You’ll get discounts, smoothly organised payments, tax benefits and more. Get in touch to find out what we can do!
