4 ways to make the South Eastern Freeway safer
About 50,000 vehicles – including more than 4000 trucks and buses – travel along the South Eastern Fwy daily, making safety a major priority.
The route is important for freight and tourism, connecting South Australia with Victoria, and is a vital thoroughfare for Adelaide Hills residents.
That’s why RAA reviewed the road, which stretches 76km from Glen Osmond to Monteith near Murray Bridge.
As part of the review, the South Eastern Fwy’s road quality and signage were assessed, and Adelaide Hills residents were asked what concerned them most about the freeway.
Driver behaviour was a major issue for survey respondents, with three quarters saying their biggest problems were motorists tailgating and failing to keep left.
While the state government has already committed to upgrading the Heysen Tunnels and completing essential road surface maintenance, RAA has made several recommendations to further improve safety along the freeway.
The Heysen Tunnel will receive an upgrade. Image: Getty
1. Improve the descent into Adelaide for trucks or offer alternate routes
In August 2014, a truck careened down the freeway crashing into traffic at Portrush Rd, killing 2 people. While this might’ve been one of the most tragic crashes on the South Eastern Fwy, it’s not an isolated incident.In 2019 a truck hit 6 vehicles, including a minibus, at the base of the freeway – thankfully nobody was seriously injured.The freight route between Murray Bridge and Truro should be upgraded, with roads widened and shoulders sealed, to encourage more heavy vehicles to bypass the freeway altogether. Thankfully, there has been a government commitment to spend $12m upgrading this route. In the long term, RAA believes there needs to be an alternate route for heavy vehicles to reduce traffic on the lower section of the SE Freeway. If heavy vehicles continue travelling down the freeway, more safety devices are needed.