If you’re packing the kids and heading to Sydney this long weekend, you may want to check out a new online service that will make planning your stops that little bit easier.
The tool was just released by Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) in New South Wales and basically allows you to discover the location of every rest area along your route.
Rest areas are places where you can pull over, have a stretch and refresh yourself before continuing on your journey. They are open and accessible 24 hours a day throughout the year – so if you know where they are, you’ll never be stuck for somewhere to stop!
RMS’s online service doesn’t only allows you to search for and easily locate rest areas by clicking on map icons; it also enables you to refine your search based on factors specific to your situation.
For instance, you can instruct the service to display rest areas that have certain facilities, such as bathrooms. You can also tailor your search so that it will only show rest areas that can accommodate your specific vehicle type.
“RMS encourages motorists to take advantage of the online tool and be conscious of fatigue while driving,” said a spokesman yesterday (June 6).
Some of the signs you should watch out for are yawning, poor concentration and slow reactions. If you experience any of these while driving, it’s time to take a break!
In addition to figuring regular stops into your route with the help of this online service, there are a few other things you can do to avoid driving tired.
Before you take off in your Sydney Domestic Airport car rental, make sure you’ve had a good night’s sleep. The RMS also suggests that you avoid driving at times when you would otherwise be asleep.