Road Conditions

Things to Consider

When travelling on regional roads you may encounter fires, floods, animals, extreme weather conditions or unsealed roads.

Roads and driving conditions can be challenging and different to what you’re used to. Please plan ahead and drive to the conditions to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable journey. The following resources may be helpful:

• Main Roads WA COVID-19 Restrictions – information in intrastate travel restrictions
• Main Roads WA Travel Map – Roadworks and closures (including bushfires, floods and incidents)
• Rest Areas page
• Department of Transport rules of the road 
• Bureau of Meteorology current warnings 
• Department of Fire and Emergency Services alerts and warnings 

Other Things to Consider:

• Let someone know your plan and check in with them regularly.
• Distances between remote towns can be large, so ensure you have enough fuel, food, water and supplies in case of an emergency.
• Ensure your vehicle is suitable for the conditions. Some roads require a 4wd or high clearance vehicle.
• Long stretches of roads can cause fatigue, so regular rest stops are crucial to ensure you are alert and refreshed for the duration of your trip.
• Watch out for wildlife and stray animals on rural roads. Drive during daylight hours where possible and stay vigilant, especially at dusk and dawn.
• Road trains are a common sight on rural roads. Always ensure you have plenty of clear road ahead to safely overtake.
• Some areas in our Shire have no telephone coverage and, those that do, are almost exclusively with Telstra.
• Plan your trip to avoid delays and ensure you have a safe and enjoyable journey.
• Avoid driving heavy vehicles on wet, unsealed roads. Not only can this be dangerous to you, it may also damage the road surface – creating hazards for motorists that come after you.

Find information about incidents, alerts, road closures, events and planned roadworks that may affect travel within your area on Main Roads WA’s Travel Map.

We also suggest having a read through Main Road’s Driving in WA Guide, which can download free here.

Follow the Signs:

Heavy rains and flooding has the potential to damage bridges and compromise the road surface, causing hazards for drivers and cutting off connections to towns. Sometimes these hazards can be hidden!

Similar situations occur with bushfires. You may think the fire is not in the area, however reduced visibility could be affecting the conditions, in return making the road unsafe to drive.

Just because you can’t see it – doesn’t mean hidden dangers aren’t there.

Following an incident, the road can remain closed until it is safe for us to assess the road conditions and carry out repairs where necessary.

We urge you to be prepared if driving through dangerous areas and follow these tips to keep you safe:

• Follow all signage in place, and remember closed means closed
• Drive to the conditions
• Follow emergency services directions
• Stay focused on the road and any potential hazards

Penalties may apply for motorists who drive through road closed signage, or through roads that are restricted to a certain vehicle type.