Be Prepared for Changing Road Conditions
Drive to the conditions – This is sound advice and the Northland Road Safety Forum and Kaipara District Council are urging drivers to heed it, especially on unsealed roads.
Kaipara has 1,554 kilometres of roads of which 1,124 kilometres are unsealed and users need to realise that despite the Council’s best efforts they are not always going to be in perfect condition and that the surface can change rapidly with the weather.
As a result, a speed that may be safe one day may not be a week late. Be aware and be prepared for change and the unexpected and above all else; be prepared to slow down.
Potholes can throw vehicles off line or affect steering alignment. Council’s maintenance and policy of crowning roads to help water run off keeps potholes to a minimum but it is impossible to prevent them all.
Long dry spells cause corrugations which, apart from being unpleasant to drive on, can cause loss of traction and control. They may also reappear rapidly after grading. Drive slowly, lay off the accelerator and avoid hard braking when driving on corrugated sections.
Dust is annoying and on a large scale there isn’t a lot that can be done about preventing it in dry weather but it has safety implications, by affecting visibility. Slow down when approaching oncoming traffic as the dust may obscure your vision. By contrast wet weather can cause roads to be slippery. Be prepared.
Loose metal acts as rollers between wheels and the road surface. Take special care, especially when driving downhill on metal roads - slow down and don't brake suddenly and remember that loose stones can be thrown up by vehicles.
Approaching one lane bridges, check who has the right of way and be ready to stop.
Some Kaipara roads carry a lot of heavy vehicles, including logging traffic. While some have been upgraded to accommodate this it pays to remember that big trucks can take up a lot of road so keep alert and keep well to the left.
Above all else, be alert for changing conditions and drive accordingly.