ACCIDENTS HAPPEN……….

If you want to take a fatalistic approach to accidents in the belief that ; ‘Sh*t happens, so why worry, what will be will be’

then please read on

According to our stats* a staggering 87%% of serious accidents that are referred to the insurance company are due to DRIVER ERROR!!

87%% of serious accidents due to DRIVER ERROR!!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE we are begging you for your own safety PLEASE TAKE IT EASY.

We desperately want you to have a safe and wonderful trip around Australia.

Please remember that when you get behind the wheel of any car you are taking on a great responsibility with respect to the safety of everyone in the car under your control and other road users.

3 people survived this roll-over with just minor scratches and bruises

CLASSIC SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT – DAYLIGHT,STRAIGHT ROAD– Lucky no-one was killed!

Consider these stats

• Head on collision -14%
• Failure to Stop at Right of Way – 27%
• Lost Control – 8%
• Run up Rear – 11%
• Single Vehicle Accident – 27%

Head on Collision – commonly due to Driver’s falling asleep at the wheel

Failure to Stop at Right of Way – Or driving through a stop sign or give way sign – Commonly due to Driver not paying attention

Lost Control – Commonly due to speed, failure to negotiate a bend, wet roads, or drifting to the left and when left wheels hit the soft edge the driver over corrects and starts to fish tail resulting in a roll-over

 Run up rear – Possibly the dumbest ‘accident of all time

Single Vehicle Accident – Usually a ROLL-OVER due to Driver losing control of the vehicle. – Hitting or Swerving to miss an animal, When passing on a narrow road and driver puts left wheels on soft shoulder (verge), over-correcting, and rolling the car, speed, wet roads and going into corners just that little bit too fast

It’s not just your health and well-being at stake! Unfortunately in many of the accidents above the Renters holidays were ruined and many also incurred MAJOR FINANCIAL LOSS – Please understand that the damage liability you have with the vehicle will NOT COVER YOU in EVERY CASE (Negligence, SVA’s, Drink Driving, Breaching Rental Agreement, Breaking the law, etc)

Other Stats

Most accidents happen around 10-11am (29%) and 3-8pm (39%)

And

18-21 year olds are responsible for 39% of all accidents!!!!!

PLEASE HAVE FUN BUT CONSIDER YOUR PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL WELL BEING AND DRIVE WITHIN YOUR LIMITS AND DRIVE CAREFULLY

DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!

Just a quick reminder for the Aussie Summer.

DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS

A story was recently published on Thumbrella.com.au reporting moves by the CMCA to get campervan (RV) stakeholders together to discuss the issue of Free Camping in Australia.  See Below

http://thumbrella.com.au/call-for-campervan-industry-to-get-organised-10902#comments

The comments made by Andrew Andorson on this post nealy made me choke and demanded a detailed response. Watch the video.

Over the last few years there has been an explosion of traveller’s using campervans around Australia. In some parts of Australia this has caused a little bit of friction between the campervanners and the locals. I would suggest that 99% of Aussies are totally friendly and supportive. Remember, Australia is a young nation that prides itself on its freedoms and likes to think of itself as a little rebellious and anti-authoritarian. However as people get older they apparently get cranky and less tolerant and feel a burning desire to call up talk back radio stations.

It’s undeniable that not all campervanners behaviour is perfect then what section of the population is?

At Travellers Auto Barn we recognise that a problem exists, hence why we are attending the forum, but …..BUT what I am having trouble understaning is how anyone in the Tourism sector could write such drivel as Andrew (post 1) – “these backpackers are freeloaders and don’t do anything fiscally to further our communities or the travel industry” – I mean seriously! Who are you Andrew? Do you really beleive that? Look up the Tourism Australia stats, but surely you should know that, unless your only reference is the Wentworth Courier. Andrew educate yourself, I’m not going to do it for you. I know the value of ALL backpackers to the Australian economy, not just those that buy or rent a car to see Australia.

Backpacker bashing is a sport in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Without wishing to be as melodramatic as Andrew “Campervans galore on the coverted Bondi to Coogee Walk“, but I see the same drivers in Andrew’s comments as those that sparked the Cronulla Riots and frankly I am appalled.

Peter Burke

Managing Director

“Stop, Revive, Survive” is a public campaign run in Australia urging the thousands of holidaying motorists to take it easy on the roads this Christmas, New year and School Holiday summer season.  Basically it’s recommended that you break up your drive every 2 hours by taking a short break. The campaign runs year round but is especially ramped up at this time of year.

Read more about the Stop, Revive Survive Campaing on the RTA’s website

Below is shocking  reminder of the dangers we all face on the roads. I’m purposely including this confronting article as I think it’s important that nobody has any illusions as to the dangers that exist on our roads.

Northern Advocate Christmas carnage: Two die in SH1 smash Northern Advocate by staff reporters | 23rd December 2009 An horrific head-on crash involving a campervan, a truck and trailer and a ute claimed the lives of two Spanish …

It’s Christmas again!