Safety
To keep traffic moving more safely and smoothly on our smart freeways, overhead electronic signs display lane closure information, the legal speed limit and information relevant to your journey. To protect road users, emergency services and maintenance workers, the overhead electronic signs can change in response to incidents, such as crashes, breakdowns and debris on the freeway. These changes can include reduced speed limits and lane closures.
On Kwinana Freeway northbound between Canning Highway and the Narrows Bridge, six emergency stopping bays, located on average every 630 metres, provide off-freeway refuge in the event of a breakdown.
Emergency stopping bays are monitored 24/7 by fixed stopped vehicle detection cameras that alert operators in our Road Network Operations Centre as soon as someone pulls into a bay.
Our staff are trained to respond quickly, using the overhead electronic signs to open and close lanes, creating safety zones around stranded motorists unable to reach an emergency stopping bay. Monitoring the Smart Freeway network including emergency lanes, they will coordinate with dedicated incident response vehicles available 24/7 to attend and assist. Our operators also work closely with emergency services when coordinating responses to hazardous incidents.
The emergency stopping bays are monitored by staff in our 24/7 Road Network Operations Centre who can respond quickly and send help if needed.
The stopping bays are equipped with an emergency phone you can use to speak directly with our Customer Information Centre about your situation, or call 138 138 if you can’t leave your vehicle.
You must call our Customer Information Centre to receive advice before you can safely exit the bay.
But remember, emergency stopping bays are for emergency situations only and must not be used for non-emergency situations as pit stops or to make and receive phone calls.
If you break down and can’t make it to an emergency lane or an emergency stopping bay, stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened and put your hazard lights on.
Do not attempt to get out of your vehicle and climb over the concrete barriers.
Our freeways have CCTV coverage and incident detection radars monitored by our 24/7 Road Network Operations Centre, which means the operators will see you no matter what time of day it is or what the weather conditions are. They will respond quickly, using the overhead electronic signs to close the lane you are in, and reduce speeds on neighbouring lanes to keep you safe.
They may also dispatch an incident response vehicle or towing service to assist you.