High-tech McLaren Vale warning signs explained

Published on 13 November 2024

If you’ve driven around McLaren Vale over the past few months, you might’ve encountered some new digital, flashing signage at several intersections.

Installed as part of a $4.2 million state government election commitment – with an additional $737,500 from the Federal Government’s Black Spot program and delivery led by the City of Onkaparinga – this road safety project across McLaren Vale will help save lives.

The new signs are equipped with a radar that activates a flashing light warning system. The technology is still relatively new to South Australia, and McLaren Vale is the first place in SA where multiple signs have been installed.

But how do they work, and how should you approach these intersections – whether from the side road, or the main road (where vehicles have right of way)? Check out our handy guide below.

When driving on side streets:

• Always give way at intersections.
• The red 'give way' sign will only flash if you're going too fast.
• At a safe speed, the warning lights won’t flash.
• Slow down and prepare to stop your vehicle before giving way.

When driving on main roads:

• The most effective and swift way to reduce road trauma is to lower your speed.
• You have the right of way, but safety comes first.
• Proceed with caution if the yellow ‘50km/hr’ sign flashes. It warns of potential danger ahead, indicating that a side street driver is approaching the intersection.
• Take your foot off the accelerator, look left, look right.
• Be prepared for emergency braking if someone makes a mistake and does not give way.
• While you should avoid sudden braking to prevent a rear-end collision, in an emergency a rear-end collision would be more survivable than a T-bone collision.
• While 50km/h is an advisory speed limit, you’re strongly encouraged to reduce your speed to 50km/h if safe to do so to improve safety in the event of a collision.

Why do you need warning lights on the main road when vehicles have right of way?

The most effective and swift way to reduce road trauma is to lower your speed.

Warning lights on  main roads encourage drivers to slow down, improving reaction time and helping to avoid crashes.

Drivers on side streets are notified that they are approaching an intersection by speed-activated give way signs and additional signs on yellow backboards.

If an inattentive driver enters the intersection from the side street, slower speeds on the main road allow for better reaction time to avoid a crash. If a collision does occur, lower speeds can increase survival chances and lessen the severity of any injuries.

The system’s design is based on the Safe System approach – an internationally recognised framework which recognises that people make mistakes, but that those mistakes shouldn’t result in death or serious injury.

Why can’t you put these signs everywhere, or use other methods (such as roundabouts) instead?

The City of Onkaparinga secured $4.2 million from the South Australia government’s election commitment and $737,500 in Federal Black Spot funding to put towards intersection upgrades in McLaren Vale, following a 2021 council audit in the wake of three fatal and serious injury crashes in the region.

Civil upgrades such as roundabouts are very expensive and often involve land acquisitions, so they’re not something that can be easily or quickly installed everywhere.

There are 21 McLaren Vale intersections being upgraded as part of the broader project, ranging from simple treatments (give way signs on yellow backboards), right up to the high-tech flashing warning signs, and the more significant roundabout and ‘teardrop islands’, which are nearing completion.

The council’s 2021 audit identified which of the 21 intersections have the highest risk and history of crashes, so the proposed upgrades could be allocated accordingly.

Where can I find more information?

For more information on the high-tech warning signage and the wider McLaren Vale intersections project, visit the council’s Your Say page.

This project is made possible through a state government election commitment of $4.2 million with the support of Leon Bignell MP, and an additional $737,500 from the Australian Government’s Black Spot program.