South Australia · The Driver's Handbook · chapter 5 · 38 min read

Road Rules — Speed, Signs & Signals

A F T Y

Animals on the road

When driving in country areas, it is not uncommon to encounter livestock (e.g. cows or sheep), which may have wandered onto the road, or may be being moved across or down a road.

Animals such as cattle, kangaroos, emus and even dogs and cats can be hypnotised by the glare of headlights. If an animal is on the road in front of you, brake slowly, sound your horn and flash your headlights – don’t swerve. Try to pass smoothly behind the animal. Kangaroos and many other native animals are especially active at night and at dawn.

Water on the road

After heavy rain or a burst water pipe, if a large puddle of water appears across part of the road and you need to drive through the water, slow down before driving through the water to avoid losing control of your vehicle. If you drive too quickly through a puddle you risk the car aquaplaning or sliding and becoming uncontrollable. If water over the road could be too deep for your vehicle, stop and check the depth before driving any further.