SA drivers can now see where all 159 time-based 40km/h school speed limits are located on an interactive map.

And by the end of the year, another 40 schools are set to receive time-based speed limits.

Which schools will get the new 40km/h limit, and where are the cameras?

Of the 40 schools soon to receive the reduced speed limit, 24 have an existing speed and red-light camera at the location (across 21 sites), which will be able to issue offences at the reduced speed limit once signposted.

Currently, only four of the 119 schools that already have time-based speed limits have a fixed camera at the location.

New and existing school speed limit sites with fixed cameras will receive flashing speed limit signs to show when the 40km/h limit is in operation – between 8:00am-9:30am and 2:00pm-4:00pm on government school days.

Prominent new locations include:

•  Portrush Road at Linden Park Primary School
•  Shepherds Hill Road at Blackwood High and Primary Schools
•  and Main North Road / Regency Road at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College

All these locations have fixed cameras.

RAA’s interactive map of SA school speed limits

A new interactive map created by RAA shows existing and upcoming locations for school speed limits across the state, and which locations currently have a fixed camera.

RAA Senior Manager Road Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain is encouraging drivers to explore the map to see where time-based school speed limits are located along their daily commute.

“RAA has built this new map to help drivers see where all of the time-based school speed limits apply, and to improve road safety for our most vulnerable road users,” Charles says.

“With 40 more schools getting the time-based limit in the coming months, now is a good time for drivers to check where they are and when they apply.

“These sites are on arterial roads that thousands of South Australians drive every day, so even if you think you know your route well, there may soon be a new time-based speed limit on it.

“Children are some of our most vulnerable road users – they’re smaller, harder to see and can be unpredictable near roads, so slower speeds give drivers more time to react if a child steps out unexpectedly.”

40km/h time-based limits vs 25km/h school zones

The 40km/h time-based limit applies where signposted on main roads near a school. It does not affect 25km/h school zones on local roads, which apply whenever children are present, even on non-school days.

The post New map shows every 40km/h time-based speed limit appeared first on samove.com.au.

Imagine driving at 60km/h and you feel a sneeze coming on, so you close your eyes for a split second to let it out.

We’ve been taught to never take our eyes off the road, but what happens when they’re involuntarily forced shut by a sneeze?

The simple act of sneezing while driving can be more dangerous than you think, according to RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain.

In fact, shutting your eyes for just a second while sneezing and driving at 60km/h means you’ve travelled more than 15 metres without seeing the road. That’s nearly three car lengths.

“You’re essentially travelling blind during that period,” Charles says. “And taking your eyes off the road for any amount of time is never recommended.”

When you can’t hold in a sneeze

Stopping a sneeze isn’t always possible, nor is it recommended. Did you know holding in a sneeze can apparently push more bacteria into your sinuses? That’s another story.

So, what should you do when you need to ‘achoo’ while driving? You can’t exactly plan your sneezes to a tee (if you can, well done – that’s a skill).

“You can be mindful of the riskier areas where you should pay more attention, like through intersections and roundabouts,” Charles says.

“If you feel a sneeze coming on, pull over at a safe location if possible and wait until it passes, particularly if you’re a multi-sneezer.”

Sneezing is usually a whole-body reflex, meaning your head may also jerk forwards and your eyes water as well which can blur your vision.

“If there isn’t a safe place to stop before sneezing, keep both hands on the wheel, your head upright, and try to keep your eyes open as much as possible during the sneeze,” Charles says.

“Take your foot of the accelerator as well so that you don’t inadvertently increase speed mid-sneeze if your body flexes.”

In this situation, it also pays to leave extra space between your vehicle and the one in front to increase your stopping distance.

If you struggle with hay fever, make sure any medication you’re taking to treat allergies at this time of year is drowsy-free, for obvious reasons.

Just for fun

Most people squeeze their eyes shut automatically when they sneeze, but apparently there are some who can sneeze with their eyes open. Are you one of them? Let us know by voting in the poll below.

The post Is sneezing dangerous behind the wheel? appeared first on samove.com.au.

Look right, left and then right again. You’d be forgiven for thinking you were front row at the Australian Open. Instead, these are simple eye movements that can save your life at intersections. Here’s how.

Unofficially called ‘intersection scanning’, looking to your right, left and then right again isn’t new road-safety advice. Most are taught this basic skill when they first get behind the wheel. That said, scanning isn’t an official road rule so it can become a forgotten driving habit. But it shouldn’t be.

RAA analysed SA Government crash data from 2020-24 and found that 52 per cent of serious crashes, where someone was injured or killed, happened at intersections.

According to RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain, the simple act of scanning an intersection before passing through is a driving habit that should be routinely practised.

“Another vehicle may run a red light or pull out in front of you, even though you have the green signal when you’re going straight through, so it becomes vital to scan your surroundings before you even get there,” Charles says.

“Also don’t forget to scan your mirrors as well because if someone is following too closely you may not be able to stop quickly without them running into you.”

But take note: a green light doesn’t always necessarily mean go.

“Remember, the green light only tells you who should go, not who actually will,” Charles says.

How to ‘scan’ safely

For a better chance of seeing other road users, Charles advises drivers look more than once. They should also start scanning ahead and to the side a few seconds before entering an intersection. Don’t forget to scan your mirrors as well.

“Spotting a hazard early by scanning your surroundings properly lets you slow or stop in time,” he says.

“This is just one of many reasons to never speed, particularly through an intersection or junction.

“Don’t assume other drivers or riders will stop when they need to. If in doubt, slow down and prepare to stop if necessary to avoid a crash.”

The post The lifesaving intersection habit appeared first on samove.com.au.

Unpredictability and low visibility are what SA drivers dread the most on the road, according to a recent sa move poll.

Of the 2000 responses, 16 per cent said driving through fog or heavy rain freaked them out the most, followed by getting behind the wheel during dusk and dawn when animals are on the road.

In the poll, we asked our sa move readers to tell us which driving actions leave your heart racing and palms sweaty.

The results

We had a lot of confident respondents, with one reader saying, “No dreads – I treat driving as a serious craft.”

Another reader says they only dread “motorists who aren’t comfortable with the above list”.

What you said

SA doesn’t get as much rain or fog as other states, so we don’t get as much practice driving or riding in poor weather conditions as they do. Such conditions make roads slippery, increase stopping distances, significantly reduce visibility. In addition,  lights and reflections through the windscreen, mirrors and side windows can be disorienting.

Readers pointed out difficulty seeing lane lines, cyclist, pedestrians and other cars, especially at night.

As Toni on Facebook says, “I’m ok with all driving manoeuvres. It’s driving in the rain and the white lines disappear and you can’t see the lanes – that’s my issue.”

Other drivers find the dazzling lights from other cars, signs and roadworks unbearable.

“Driving into bright lights [is] a pain in the eyeball – and especially bad in fog or rain,” says a survey respondent.

What we suggest

RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain says drivers need to understand the risks and adjust their driving accordingly.

“It can be intimidating to drive when visibility is low or near-zero,” he says. “Whether it’s rain or fog, slow down to give yourself more time to react to what’s up ahead and avoid sudden steering and braking.”

Ensuring your tyres, lights (including fog lights) and wiper blades are working and in good condition can have a big impact on safety. Keep your windscreen clean both inside and out to reduce glare. Check weather conditions in advance so you can factor in extra time to get to your destination. If you find yourself driving in a situation that makes you too uncomfortable, then take a quick breather.

“Find a safe place to pull over and wait for visibility to improve or traffic to thin out,” Charles says.

“Driving to the conditions is what gets you to your destination safely, and the more prepared you are, the less daunting bad weather becomes behind the wheel.”

Tip: If you’re struggling to see the edges of rural roads, look for the roadside reflectors.

• The ones on your left appear red, like taillights.
• The ones on your right appear white, like headlights.

Stick near the red reflectors to help stay on your side of the road.

It’s not me, it’s you

Many readers had no qualms about performing their own driving manoeuvres, feeling completely confident in their reverse parallel parking skills and zip-merging with high-speed freeway traffic. Instead, they are anxious about other drivers on the road.

One Facebook follower says she worries most about other drivers breaking the rules to be “polite instead of predictable”, such as stopping unexpectedly to wave her in when they have right of way, while another dislikes multi-lane roundabouts (wink: Britannia Roundabout) but not for the reasons you may think.

“I know what to do – but others don’t!” they say.

Having read your feedback, keep an eye out because soon we’ll be asking you… what driving manoeuvre or situation do you dread other people doing the most?

The post Manoeuvres SA drivers dread appeared first on samove.com.au.

It’s been nearly 30 years since Jodi Clerke was found in a ditch after falling asleep at the wheel and slamming into this tree (pictured above) at 85km/h, just a few streets from her front door. Jodi was barely six kilometres and less than 10 minutes from her driveway. It’s a miracle she’s alive to tell her story; one that hits far too close to home.

Jodi Clerke was just 19 in 1997 when she was returning home to Strathalbyn on the Fleurieu Peninsula from her sister’s in Hackham, desperate to get to her volunteering job after a night as designated driver for her mates.

“I was always a designated driver when we went out,” Jodi, now 47, says. “I remember stopping to buy strawberry milk and that’s it.”

Police reports suggest Jodi fell asleep while driving, resting her foot on the accelerator and crashing close to home. She was found by her neighbour Jim who, to this day, lives just a couple of streets from her.

“Jim was leaving Strathalbyn as I was coming in,” Jodi says. “He drove past and saw the tail lights of my car and steam coming up from the bonnet. “I had a few corners left and then it’s a straight road all the way to my house.”

Jodi’s story may sound familiar. Most people have probably driven the roads around their home more times than they can count. The dirt corner on Paris Creek Road is a spot Jodi knew well and a route she’d taken hundreds of times before.

“You go into autopilot the closer you get to home. The more relaxed you are, the more you don’t pay attention to the road because three more turns and you’re home, right? Your body goes into relax mode.”

That’s exactly what happened just minutes from Jodi’s home when the engine from her white Datsun 180B bounced off her thigh and ended up in the passenger seat. Three millimetres closer to the centre of the car and she would have been crushed and killed instantly.

Jodi’s knees were stuck under the dash, her lungs collapsed and her voice box was broken along with her collarbone, arms and hip; even her thigh bone broke through the socket, shattering her rib cage. Every part of Jodi’s body was damaged except her head. However, most of Jodi’s injuries probably pale in comparison to her flatlining three times that day with her heart needing restarting.

Home sweet home

For many drivers, the most dangerous part of a journey isn’t the highway stretch or the unfamiliar detour; it’s the final few minutes, just around the corner from home. It feels safe, predictable and almost automatic.

Despite it being nearly three decades since Jodi’s crash, she relives it almost every day, partly because she regularly drives past the crash site in the charming town she still calls home.

“I always look at it,” says Jodi of the crash site. “It’s like reliving the moment every time. It never leaves me.”

The road to recovery has been long, emotionally and physically. “It was so traumatic that even my hair went white overnight,” Jodi says. “By the time I left the hospital, the whole crown of my head was white and, at 19 having white hair, my whole image changed.”

Jodi also describes the trauma she created “outside of herself” especially coming from a small town.

“Mum had to watch me bleed out, the two firies who pulled up to the scene went to school with me, the police officer was my mum’s friend who I’d known since I was five and, if my neighbour left home five minutes earlier, he would have crossed my path and died,” Jodi recounts. “The crash never just impacts you.”

The comfort of home disappears in an instant. Jodi was moments from making it to her driveway but, for a long time after the crash, that same driveway made her feel like a prisoner because she felt trapped and refused to get back in a car.

Whether driving a road you know like the back of your hand or one you never knew existed, Jodi says anything can happen. “I drove that road down to town every weekend for parties and work,” she says. “While you know the road, you’re a user on the road and that road always changes.”

When a route becomes routine

Have you ever driven on a road so many times you could memorise each corner or bump? Maybe you’ve driven through an intersection and can’t remember whether the lights were green or red?

According to RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain, when a route becomes routine, drivers often operate on autopilot: scanning less, reacting slower, and underestimating risk.

“Familiarity and complacency are common factors which can lower a driver’s level of concentration,” Charles says. Fatigue can often compound this effect, dulling reaction times precisely when attention should remain sharp.

“Jodi’s experience is a stark reminder that even the most familiar roads demand full concentration until the engine is off and the keys are out,” Charles says. “It’s important not to fall into the trap of thinking that just because you’ve driven the same road many times, it doesn’t mean you can disengage.

“Don’t take any journey for granted, even the shortest drive over the most familiar roads.”

The post When complacency can kill appeared first on samove.com.au.

Does your stomach drop when the only parking spot requires you to bust out a reverse parallel park?

Or do you drive on to a park further away so you don’t need to reverse at all? You wanted to get your step count up anyway.

Perhaps a right turn across multiple lanes of two-way traffic makes your heart flutter faster than your indicator when the fuse has blown. You’re not an ambi-turner like Zoolander, so surely it’s easier to turn left and do U-turn somewhere safer.

Let’s face it, some driving manoeuvres are just plain scary.

The post Which driving manoeuvre do you dread the most? appeared first on samove.com.au.

By now you know to keep both hands on the steering wheel when driving, but exactly where should they be positioned?

If you’ve had your driver’s licence for a while, you were probably taught the 10 and two rule, while kids these days likely know six and seven (if you know, you know but we do not recommend this).

So, here’s where your hands really should go.

What’s the rule?

Imagine your steering wheel as a clock. Place your hands at 10 and two. This was once considered the safest steering position because it was thought that gripping the wheel at a higher point gave the driver more control of the vehicle.

New technologies, such as airbags and power-assisted steering, mean this position is outdated. Nine and three is now the preferred position as drivers are typically said to have better control of the vehicle, especially when completing emergency manoeuvres like sudden swerving to avoid a hazard.

According to RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain, where you place your hands on the steering wheel can be lifesaving.

“Having your hands at 10 and two can unintentionally obstruct the steering wheel airbag when it’s deployed in a collision,” Charles says.

Besides safety, keeping your hands parallel at nine and three can make for a comfier drive.

“It’s also easier to access controls like the indicators or wipers,” Charles says.

But the biggest safety message for drivers to get a handle on is not necessarily where to place their hands but more so keeping both hands on the steering wheel the entire time they’re driving. This includes when the driver is stationary at the traffic lights, but not in park.

Can I be fined if my hands aren’t at nine and three?

You won’t be specifically fined for driving without your hands at nine and three, nor would you be penalised if they were at six and seven (again, not recommended).

That said, if you’re caught without proper control of the vehicle (not having a firm grip on the steering wheel can cause this), it’s considered unsafe and you may be handed a $236 fine, plus a $108 Victims of Crime Levy.

Steps to safe steering

Always position your hands at nine and three on the steering wheel. “Don’t rest your arm on the door as this can reduce your control of the vehicle and delay reaction times,” Charles says.

Leave your white knuckles for the rollercoaster. “Don’t tighten your grip on the steering wheel on wet or slippery roads as you can lose control of the vehicle,” Charles explains. “Only tighten your grip slightly when cornering or braking.”

The post Where should your hands go on the steering wheel? appeared first on samove.com.au.

Two-thirds of lives lost on South Australian roads were in crashes in regional areas, according to 2025 SA Police statistics.

We often think about these crash victims and their families, friends and communities, but what about the first responders who attend these horrific scenes?

Saving lives from the air

The Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT (RFDS) airlifts an average of 15 South Australians every day in remote or rural locations. Reasons range from a patient transfer at a small regional hospital, to a serious crash on a rural road where vehicle occupants may have life-threatening injuries.

RFDS Retrieval Consultant Dr Rose Skalicky plays an important role in saving lives when there’s a crash in rural or outback SA. Rose, who has been working with the RFDS since 2021, says rescue teams face several challenges when attending a roadside crash.

“From a medical point of view, getting to the crash site in time is a challenge,” she says. “We’d love to be there as soon as possible, but there’s going to be a time lag where patients may not have received treatment except first-aid, which can still be lifesaving.”

When attending a crash, the RFDS team usually needs to land at a nearby airstrip, unload their equipment and drive to the scene in a ute or four-wheel-drive.

Once they arrive on the scene of a road crash, Rose’s team is tasked with stabilising the patient, or even performing life-saving emergency procedures, before transporting them to hospital.

“As you can imagine, the roadside isn’t a clean hospital environment and we have a lot of environmental challenges to negotiate,” Rose says.

“The flies, insects and even rain can be full-on, and we only travel with a flight nurse, doctor and pilot, so we’re a tight team that works together, and sometimes we need bystanders to assist.”

The RFDS works alongside other emergency services, including the Country Fire Service (CFS), SA Police and State Emergency Service, when helping road crash victims.

CFS on the scene

Lobethal CFS Brigade Captain Jason Draper says the CFS Road Crash Rescue team undertakes intensive training to ensure they can work seamlessly with other emergency services.

“Crews work well with other services because they’re well drilled, experienced, knowledgeable and efficient,” Jason says. “This benefits the patient, so we can quickly extricate people and get them mobilised towards medical care and ensures we’re aware of hazards we might encounter.”

The Lobethal CFS Brigade can attend some confronting road crashes when working in the Adelaide Hills. Due to being based in a tight-knit regional centre, there is the potential for crews to attend crashes where they know the victim.

“On arrival at a scene, if you see the car of someone you know, it can absolutely have an impact and potentially an ongoing one as well,” Jason says.

“That’s where things like SPAM (Stress Prevention and Management) services come into it with counselling so we can talk things out with a professional. We’re also really close here at Lobethal and debrief after each callout.”

People like Tony Hudson who crashed his vehicle in 2023 while crossing the Nullarbor. A large kangaroo collided with his car, causing Tony to lose control of the vehicle.

On arrival, the RFDS determined that Tony had life-threatening injuries and critical care procedures were the only way to save his life. They treated a collapsed lung and other critical injuries before anaesthetising and intubating him for the three-hour flight to Adelaide.

Tony says if it wasn’t for the RFDS, he would’ve died from the injuries he sustained in the crash.

“Hearing about the nurses and doctors basically operating on me on the road with all the dirt, dust, cars going by at high speeds, I can’t believe that,” he says.

“This was out in the middle of nowhere and people came from everywhere to help. It wasn’t one or two people, it was a whole group. I thank every single one of them – I can’t put it into words.”

RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain says fatigue, distraction, drugs, alcohol, travelling long distances, and not wearing seatbelts all play a part in regional road crashes.

“When you’re driving long distances in remote areas, allow extra time, particularly if you’re driving on unfamiliar roads,” Charles says. “Plan ahead, take regular breaks and share the driving where possible. Being prepared and having a plan are the simplest ways drivers can reduce the risk of having a serious crash.”

RAA’s Community Impact Fund

Last year, RAA launched its new $5 million Community Impact Fund to support grassroots organisations, regional community initiatives, and new partnerships across South Australia – with a strong focus on road safety.

In December 2025, RAA announced it would increase its support to the CFS Foundation to help fund the CFS Road Crash Rescue Training Program. Providing specialist casualty care skills for CFS volunteers, the program helps the CFS purchase critical tools and upgrade equipment needed for vehicle extrication.

RAA’s also supporting the RFDS simulator – a vital tool for training aeromedical staff and showcasing the life-saving work of the RFDS across South Australia.

The post Stories from the scene appeared first on samove.com.au.