Have you ever driven down a windy country road and wondered what the green stickers on those roadside poles mean? No? You were too busy having your eyes firmly on the road? Fair enough. But we’re going to tell you anyway, so put your seatbelt on and hold tight.
You might already know that those reflective white poles that you see on the side of the road are guide posts. According to Roads and Waterways NSW, guide posts “outline the edges of the roadway.”
As well as being guide poles, they also serve another purpose if it has a green sticker on it. The green sticker is there to indicate that there is a safe place to pull over coming up soon.
If you see three green stickers, that means a stop point is 500m away. Two stickers means that a stop point is 250m away, and one sticker means the area that they can safely pull over is here.
The green sticker initiative was originally intended for truck drivers in Victoria, Queensland and NSW — created by road safety advocate and truck driver Rod Hannifey. However, anyone can use the stop points indicated by these green stickers.
But it’s encouraged that only drivers who are travelling with trailers, caravans, or heavy cargo use it as they may be driving less than the average speed limit.
It may also be useful for learner drivers if there’s a long queue behind them on a one lane road.
Easter weekend is always a busy time for our roads, so it’s important to be aware of the little things like these green stickers for safety.
According to The Guardian, the peak traffic rush usually starts on Thursday night and ramps up again from later in the morning on Good Friday.
“With millions of people set to travel on roads around the state over the Easter weekend, we ask that drivers plan ahead, ensure they’re well rested, eliminate distractions and never drive while affected by drugs or alcohol,” a spokesperson for the Department of Transport Victoria said.
