Thankful Thursday: We Survived the Pacific Highway

You know how it seems as if there are a lot of plane crashes just before you or a loved one are scheduled to fly? It has felt that way for me travelling on the Pacific Highway, A major arterial road between Sydney and Brisbane.

Thankfully we have made it safely to our destinations.... so far.....Unfortunately other families have not been so lucky. The news reports over the past few days have been filled with reports of a pregnant couple being killed when their car crashed into a tree and a boy died sleeping in his room when a truck ran into his house. My heart breaks for these families. The devastating loss, pain and sadness that these, and all road deaths cause, is beyond comprehension.

There have been constant upgrades of the highway in recent years. Much of the highway now has double lanes. Shockingly through, there is still many sections of single lane road, often snaking slowly through small congested country towns.

In one such town, we were stuck for 2 hours, moving at a snail’s pace, if at all, in a very hot car. The kids in the back seat were getting very frustrated and agitated that we weren’t moving. Many overheated cars were pulling off the side of the road with steam billowing from their bonnets. Impatient and rude drivers were trying to jump the cue by passing the line of cars on the left nature strip. The locals from the town were simply standing on the roadside shaking their head at the gridlock their town had become.




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 It is hard to believe that a major arterial Australian highway has such slow single lane traffic for much of it's length. Upgrading the highway to double lanes and by-passing the towns still seems to be years away. In the mean time, it seems inevitable that families will be ripped apart by devastating car accidents. I so hope that upgrading the pacific highway is a priority for the governments because I believe such upgrades would really save lives!

However, It is not only the road conditions that I find frightening when travelling along the Pacific highway, it is some of the other drivers as well! On two separate occasions, the car travelling in front of us came perilously close to running right off the road. We could see that the luggage bay was overflowing with Christmas presents, pillows and nappies...... There were also many instances of dangerous and inconsiderate driving. I have to say that there was a very obvious and copious police presence. Every few kilometres a car was being pulled over by those distinctive red and blue flashing lights.

I’m not sure how to write this without sounding like a clichéd bad traffic commercial but.......Please, please drive patiently, cautiously and defensively. Take plenty of rests breaks too, and try to stay calm and patient in the face of traffic cues, bad drivers and the whining from the back seat! Please, for you and your family’s sake, don’t text or talk on hand-held phones and stick to the speed limit.

Even doing these things there is always a chance that an accident will occur....we all take that risk. Each time we reach an intended destination we phone worried loved ones to let them know that we made it!

I am so thankful that my family is safe and have enjoyed an absolutely fantastic summer holiday. The pregnant couple who so tragically passed away were also on their way to summer holidays with their family, the boy that passed away in his house......My heart goes out to you and all other families dealing with the tragedy of road deaths.

Today, for thankful Thursday, I am truly thankful we are alive!


I'm Linking up with Kate at Kate Says Stuff for Thankful Thursday. Come and read what some other fantastic bloggers are thankful for...it's guaranteed broaden your outlook!