We all know the basic road safety tips; buckle up, observe road signs, don't speed, watch for wildlife etc. etc., but here are 12 road safety tips that are a bit outside the box and you're not likely to think of.

• Avoid caffeine and sugary snacks

Although you may get a burst of energy from a sugar high, it’s short lived and you’ll feel more tired afterward. Choose a snack such as dried fruit, nuts, or a muesli bar which have a low GI, and drink plenty of water.

• Have backup shoes or drive bare foot

Your foot is more likely to accidentally slip off the pedal if you’re wearing thongs or high heels. Despite common belief, it’s legal to drive barefoot – if you’re wearing slippery shoes take them off before you drive, or keep a backup pair of shoes in your vehicle that have good grip.

• Avoid standing on diesel spots

Even if you drive a petrol vehicle, diesel pumps are often side by side which means there may be diesel spillage nearby.  Diesel is oilier than unleaded and could leave the soles of your shoes greasy, causing your foot to slip off the pedal.

• Don’t swerve to avoid hitting an animal

As awful as it is to think about striking and potentially killing an animal with your vehicle, police advise it’s safer to hit an animal than swerving to avoid it, which could easily lead to a serious crash. Consider protecting yourself and your vehicle with a bull or nudge bar.

• Don’t be a hangover drink driver

Surprisingly, 20% of drink drivers are caught between 6am and midday.  This could happen quite easily if you have had a heavy night of drinking, went to sleep late and got up early the next day to pick up your vehicle or drive to work.  Ensure you give yourself plenty of time after your last drink for the alcohol to pass through your system.

• Be careful when changing a spare tyre

Unfortunately each year there are accidents involving drivers who are hit whilst changing a tyre. Ensure you drive your vehicle slowly off the road, away from traffic, or if you’re on a highway, try to reverse your vehicle behind a safety barrier.

• Keep your headlights on, day or night

Drive with your headlights on at all times to increase your chances of being seen, especially in areas with high pedestrian traffic or long, shady stretches.

• Missed your turn off? Go around

Don’t take a chance on causing an accident by trying to cut across lanes to make the turn off. Take the next exit or turn and enjoy the scenery.

• Don’t overdo it!

Don’t overload your vehicle’s roof rack – most cars can only handle between 60 to 100kg up there. Any heavier and it could damage the roof rails and start to affect how your car handles corners due to the raised centre of gravity.

• Check your tyre tread

If your tyres have less than 1.4mm of tread depth you could find yourself in trouble – with the law or on the road. Many people measure tyre tread in the middle of the tyre, but if the edges are worn down further than 1.4mm, the vehicle is considered to be unroadworthy and dangerous. Wheel alignments and maintaining the correct tyre pressure will provide you with better vehicle handling and will increase the lifespan of your tyres.  Consider purchasing an aftermarket tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

• Check your trailer axles

Likely your trailer or caravan has been sitting in the weather for close to a year.  Get your axles and bearings checked and regreased or replaced – there is a good chance the axles may be rusty or the bearings seized.

• Add emergency details on your phone

If you have an Apple iPhone, you can record emergency and health related details using the built-in Health app.  This means if you’re involved in an accident, emergency workers are able to access information about your allergies, blood type, and emergency contacts, even if your phone is locked.  Android users can download this App.