RACT urges motorists to be vigilant and check cars for dangerous signs ahead of long weekend

Tasmanians are allowed to go camping or visit their shack this long weekend, but the state’s motoring body is urging motorists to be safe and check their vehicle’s roadworthiness before travelling.

MOTORISTS have been urged to check their cars before hitting the road this long weekend, with fears over the roadworthiness of vehicles that may have sat idle during the coronavirus lockdown.

The state’s peak motoring body said drivers should be vigilant and conduct basic safety checks before heading away, including tyres, lights and windscreen wipers.

With restrictions being eased early, Tasmanians are able to travel to their shacks, with an influx of people expected on the roads.

RACT community manager Will Oakley packs his car for the long weekend at Hobart. Picture Chris Kidd

RACT community manager Will Oakley said in the past three years, the organisation had conducted 400 safety checks over winter with consistent trends identified.

Mr Oakley said 30 per cent of vehicles had needed a light to be replaced, 24 per cent required a top up of oil or other fluids, 20 per cent had batteries that needed attention and 19 per cent had flat or worn tyres.

He said driving around with an icy windscreen or with worn tyres was dangerous, especially with road conditions this time of year.

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“We’re really worried people will just jump in the car and go,’’ Mr Oakley said.

“So before you leave home it’s really important to do some of these simple safety checks and you don’t need to be a mechanically-minded person to do it.

“It’s really simply to check your tyres and make sure there’s no obvious wear on them and they are inflated appropriately.

“It’s really simple to make sure your wiper blades aren’t smearing. It’s really simple to check your lights.”