{"id":94,"date":"2026-06-19T15:06:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T05:06:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/blog\/?p=94"},"modified":"2026-06-19T17:02:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T07:02:54","slug":"south-coast-road-safety-lessons-towing-conjola","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/blog\/south-coast-road-safety-lessons-towing-conjola\/","title":{"rendered":"62 + Years on the South Coast Road: What We&#8217;ve Learned About Keeping Drivers Safe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style data-wp-block-html=\"css\">\n.author-byline {\n  padding: 1rem 0 1.25rem;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e5e5;\n  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;\n}\n\n.byline-name {\n  font-size: 15px;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n  margin: 0 0 6px;\n}\n\n.byline-meta {\n  display: flex;\n  flex-wrap: wrap;\n  align-items: center;\n  gap: 0;\n  font-size: 13px;\n  color: #666;\n}\n\n.byline-sep {\n  margin: 0 8px;\n  color: #ccc;\n}\n\n.byline-badge {\n  display: inline-flex;\n  align-items: center;\n  gap: 5px;\n  font-size: 12px;\n  background: #f5f5f5;\n  color: #555;\n  border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n  border-radius: 6px;\n  padding: 3px 9px;\n  margin-left: 8px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"author-byline\">\n  <p class=\"byline-name\">By Rodney Garner<\/p>\n  <div class=\"byline-meta\">\n    <span>Founder, Garners On The Road Towing<\/span>\n    <span class=\"byline-sep\">|<\/span>\n    <span>Conjola NSW<\/span>\n    <span class=\"byline-sep\">|<\/span>\n    <span>Est. 1958<\/span>\n    <span class=\"byline-sep\">|<\/span>\n    <span>June 2026<\/span>\n    <span class=\"byline-badge\">\n      <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"13\" height=\"13\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"10\"\/><polyline points=\"12 6 12 12 16 14\"\/><\/svg>\n      9-minute read\n    <\/span>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<!-- Emergency CTA Banner -->\n<div style=\"background: #fff8f0; border-left: 4px solid #e85d04; border-radius: 6px; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; margin: 0 0 2rem;\">\n\n  <p style=\"font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700; color: #1a1a1a; margin: 0 0 4px;\">\n    Need help right now?\n  <\/p>\n\n  <p style=\"font-size: 14px; color: #444444; margin: 0;\">\n    We&#39;re available 24\/7 on\n    <a href=\"tel:+61408202936\" style=\"font-weight: 700; color: #e85d04; text-decoration: none;\">\n      0408 202 936\n    <\/a>\n    &mdash; based in Conjola, covering the full South Coast corridor.\n  <\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<!-- End Emergency CTA Banner -->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>I started this business in 1958.<\/strong><br>That&#8217;s not a number I throw around for effect. It means I was out here on the Princes Highway before the bypasses, before the crash barriers, before mobile phones, before GPS. Back when &#8220;roadside assistance&#8221; meant someone driving past and pulling over because they recognised you were in trouble.<br>A lot has changed on this road. The trucks are bigger. The traffic is heavier. The summers bring more holidaymakers than ever before, and the road between Nowra and Ulladulla has become one of the busiest regional corridors in New South Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>Some things haven&#8217;t changed at all. People still make the same mistakes in breakdowns. The same situations still turn dangerous. And the same simple actions still save lives.<br>This post is everything six decades on the South Coast has taught me about driver safety \u2014 not as a road safety bureaucrat, but as the person who shows up when things go wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-this-road-has-taught-me\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What This Road Has Taught Me<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-the-princes-highway-is-more-dangerous-than-most-drivers-realise\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Princes Highway Is More Dangerous Than Most Drivers Realise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People drive the Princes Highway in holiday mode. Windows down, music on, time to relax. That\u2019s understandable \u2014 it is a beautiful road. But beauty doesn\u2019t protect you from the road\u2019s real character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Between 2018 and 2022, there were 25 fatal accidents on the Princes Highway from Berry south to the NSW and Victorian border, and nearly 800 crashes across the 400-kilometre stretch of highway in that five-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve attended scenes at Termeil Creek, near the Bendalong turnoff, around the Lake Conjola stretch \u2014 spots that look completely unremarkable until they\u2019re not. One of the deadliest crashes on this stretch occurred near Lake Tabourie, just 13 kilometres south of Ulladulla, where a vehicle left the road at 4:30 in the morning, and three people lost their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was working the night that the Boxing Day crash happened north of Ulladulla in 2019. Two cars collided and burst into flames 400 metres north of the Bendalong turnoff. There are stretches of this highway I can close my eyes and see as clearly as my own driveway \u2014 because I\u2019ve been called to them too many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn\u2019t to frighten you off the road. It\u2019s to make sure you drive it with the respect it deserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-holiday-traffic-is-the-highest-risk-period\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Holiday Traffic Is the Highest-Risk Period<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through six decades, a consistent pattern I\u2019ve seen: the most dangerous time on the South Coast isn\u2019t bad weather. It\u2019s the first 48 hours of a school holiday long weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why? Fatigued drivers arriving from Sydney or Canberra after sitting in traffic for two to three hours. Vehicles packed to the roof with holiday gear. Drivers who haven\u2019t checked their tyres or fluid levels before a 200-kilometre run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Princes Highway through the Shoalhaven and South Coast experiences significant congestion during long weekends, school holidays, and special events. That congestion creates its own hazards \u2014 frustrated drivers overtaking in marginal gaps, rear-end collisions in heavy traffic, overheated engines sitting idle in summer heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My busiest call-out days, year after year: the Friday evening of Easter, the first day of school holidays in December, and Boxing Day morning. Plan your trip accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-the-vehicles-that-break-down-have-something-in-common\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Vehicles That Break Down Have Something in Common<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 62 years, I can almost predict which cars I\u2019ll be towing before the call comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vehicles that break down on the Princes Highway fall into a few categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Under-maintained vehicles<\/strong> driven by owners who don\u2019t realise the state of their tyres, belts, or battery until they\u2019re 150 kilometres from home<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Overloaded holiday vehicles<\/strong> \u2014 roof boxes, packed boots, boat trailers, and caravans, adding weight, the vehicle isn\u2019t serviced to handle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vehicles that \u201cwere fine last week\u201d<\/strong> \u2014 fine around town doesn\u2019t mean fine on a long highway run at sustained speed and temperature.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m not saying this to judge anyone. I\u2019m saying it because a pre-trip check costs nothing, and a breakdown on the Princes Highway costs time, money, and sometimes much more than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 7 Safety Lessons I\u2019ve Learned on the Road<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 1 \u2014 Most Roadside Incidents Are Predictable and Preventable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the hardest truth to hear, but it\u2019s the most important: the majority of breakdowns I attend didn\u2019t have to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A flat tyre from a tread worn to the cords. A dead battery that hadn\u2019t held a charge for three months. An overheating engine with coolant that hadn\u2019t been checked in years. These aren\u2019t mechanical mysteries. They\u2019re deferred maintenance that finally reached a deadline on a busy highway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Before any South Coast road trip, check:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tyre pressure and tread depth (minimum legal tread depth in NSW is 1.5mm \u2014 replace at 2mm)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Engine coolant level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Engine oil level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Battery condition (especially if it\u2019s over three years old)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>All lights \u2014 headlights, brake lights, indicators, hazards<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Windscreen wipers \u2014 particularly important on the Princes Highway in autumn and winter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brake fluid level<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ten minutes in your driveway. That\u2019s all it takes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 2 \u2014 Where You Stop Matters as Much as That You Stop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a vehicle starts behaving badly, the instinct is to stop immediately. But where you stop can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a serious accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Princes Highway between Nowra and Ulladulla has sections with wide shoulders and dedicated emergency bays, and sections where the road edge drops sharply, or the shoulder barely exists. Road shoulders provide a critical area for broken-down vehicles to stop and recover, as well as space for motorists to avoid hazards on the road, which is why the NSW Government has invested significantly in shoulder widening on this corridor in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice: if your vehicle gives you any warning at all \u2014 a temperature gauge creeping up, a tyre that feels soft, a strange noise \u2014 use that warning to reach the safest possible stop point. Drive to an emergency bay, a town, or a service station. Don\u2019t stop on a blind corner or a narrow shoulder if you can safely go further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have no choice, stop as far left as you can get.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 3 \u2014 Your Hazard Lights Are Your Most Important Safety Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve attended breakdowns where the driver had the bonnet up, was walking around the vehicle, hadn\u2019t turned their hazard lights on \u2014 because they thought they\u2019d &#8220;only be a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is no such thing as only a minute on a highway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hazard lights on. Immediately. Before you assess the situation, before you call anyone, before you get out of the car. Those flashing lights are your only communication with traffic approaching at 100km\/h that something is ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you carry them, deploy road triangles or flares at least 100 metres behind your vehicle \u2014 further on hills or corners where visibility is reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At night, leave your interior light on. It signals that there\u2019s a person in or near the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 4 \u2014 Stay Inside the Vehicle If the Shoulder Is Narrow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the lesson people find hardest to accept, because the instinct when you\u2019re broken down is to get away from the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your vehicle is stopped with reasonable clearance from the live lane, staying inside with your seatbelt on is often the safest position. A vehicle that\u2019s struck by passing traffic offers significant crash protection. Standing beside it, or behind it, does not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If passengers need to exit, they should exit from the side away from traffic and move well clear of the road \u2014 up a bank, behind a barrier, into the bush if necessary. Not beside the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the Princes Highway, particularly through the narrower sections between Conjola and Termeil, this matters enormously. I have attended too many incidents where the secondary injury \u2014 the person hit while standing beside their broken-down vehicle \u2014 was far more serious than the original mechanical failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 5 \u2014 Don\u2019t Attempt Repairs You\u2019re Not Certain About<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A tyre change on a wide, flat shoulder with good visibility: reasonable, if you know what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A tyre change on a narrow shoulder at night, on a gradient, on the traffic side of the vehicle: call a tow truck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decision to attempt a roadside repair should always factor in the safety of the repair environment, not just your mechanical capability. I\u2019ve towed vehicles that were damaged further because someone tried to fix the wrong thing in the wrong conditions. I\u2019ve also attended situations where someone was nearly struck while working on a tyre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask yourself: if a truck came past at speed right now while I\u2019m outside this vehicle, where would I be? If the answer isn\u2019t &#8220;completely clear of danger,\u201d call us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 6 \u2014 Know the Difference Between Your Breakdown and an Accident Scene<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve been in an accident \u2014 any collision, regardless of severity \u2014 the rules change completely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First: call 000 if there are injuries, or if vehicles are obstructing traffic and creating an ongoing hazard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not move vehicles until police advise you to, unless they\u2019re in an immediately dangerous position. In NSW, insurance claims and liability assessments often depend on the positioning of vehicles \u2014 moving them prematurely can complicate things significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You also have rights at an accident scene that people often don\u2019t know. &lt;a href= \u201chttps:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/accident-towing.html\u201d&gt;In NSW, you have the legal right to choose your own tow operator after a collision&lt;\/a&gt;. You don\u2019t have to accept whoever shows up first. Nominate us if you\u2019re in our service area, and we\u2019ll coordinate directly with your insurer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson 7 \u2014 Call Local<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I say this not because it benefits us \u2014 though it does \u2014 but because it genuinely matters to the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you call a national breakdown line or your insurer\u2019s general assistance number, a dispatcher in another city looks at a map and sends whoever is contracted to your zone. That might take an hour. It might take two. On a busy holiday weekend, it can take longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you call us directly, you\u2019re calling a Conjola-based operator who knows this highway, knows the council road crews, knows where the emergency bays are, knows which sections flood, and knows the fastest access routes. We\u2019ve been doing this since 1958. This isn\u2019t a call centre. It\u2019s a local family business that has been part of this community for longer than most of our customers have been alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>That\u2019s the difference between a one-hour wait and a five-minute response.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Changed \u2014 And What Hasn\u2019t<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Road Is Getting Safer (Slowly)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In recent years, the NSW Government has invested substantially in the Princes Highway corridor. The $60 million corridor safety and efficiency upgrades program targets the highway between Sussex Inlet Road and Moruya, prioritising areas with a history of fatal and serious injury crashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These upgrades include wider centrelines to increase space between vehicles travelling in opposite directions, reducing the risk of head-on crashes; flexible roadside safety barriers to redirect drivers back into their lane; and widened shoulders to provide space for broken-down vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All of this is progress. Real, meaningful progress that will save lives on a road I\u2019ve driven thousands of times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But infrastructure takes years. The behaviours that cause crashes \u2014 distraction, fatigue, speed, impairment, poor vehicle maintenance \u2014 those are in your hands today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technology Has Changed Breakdowns \u2014 Mostly for the Better<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I started in 1958, a broken-down driver\u2019s options were: wait for someone to stop, walk to the nearest town, or sit until dark. The Princes Highway between Nowra and Ulladulla had far fewer people on it, and help could take hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, most drivers have a mobile phone. That\u2019s transformative. The ability to call for help within seconds, share your location via GPS, and stay in contact until we arrive has made the job dramatically safer for both drivers and operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The catch: Lake Conjola and the surrounding national park areas, along with sections through Termeil and approaching Bendalong, can have patchy phone coverage. If your signal is weak, call before it drops out entirely. And always leave home with a charged phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Drivers Have Changed Too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over six decades, I\u2019ve noticed a shift in how drivers approach mechanical problems. Most people now don\u2019t have the hands-on mechanical familiarity their parents or grandparents did. That\u2019s not a criticism \u2014 it\u2019s just reality. Cars are more complex. Fewer people work on their own vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What this means in practice: modern drivers are generally better at calling for help (because they don\u2019t feel like they should be able to fix it themselves), but sometimes less confident about what to do in the minutes before help arrives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s what this post is for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to Do in the Specific Situations We See Most Often<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Flat Tyre on the Princes Highway<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Don\u2019t brake hard \u2014 ease off the accelerator and steer firmly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Signal left and coast to the best available stop point<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hazards on immediately<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assess: Is the shoulder safe to change a tyre? Which tyre? What\u2019s approaching traffic like?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If in doubt \u2014 call us. A tyre change isn\u2019t worth your life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you proceed: wheel brace, jack, spare \u2014 and know that \u201cskinny\u201d emergency spares are speed-limited (typically 80km\/h) and not suitable for highway travel to a distant destination. Get to the nearest tyre shop.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dead Battery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Try a jump start if a vehicle is available \u2014 ensure correct polarity (red to red, black to chassis\/earth, not negative terminal)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your battery has failed completely in a remote section, a jump start may not hold long enough to reach help<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A portable jump pack in your boot costs around $80\u2013100 and is the single most useful piece of gear you can carry<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overheating Engine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Turn off the air conditioning \u2014 it puts a load on the engine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the temperature gauge is still rising, pull over safely and turn the engine off<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not open the radiator cap while the engine is hot \u2014 the system is pressurised and can cause serious burns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wait a minimum of 20\u201330 minutes before assessing coolant levels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the system is low on coolant and you have water, you can top up \u2014 water will do in an emergency<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do not restart and continue driving if the cause is unresolved \u2014 an overheated engine can seize and result in a tow regardless<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accident Recovery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Call 000 if there are injuries or if vehicles are causing a hazard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stay calm and stay safe \u2014 assess your own physical condition first<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Document the scene (photos) before anything moves, if it\u2019s safe to do so<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exchange details with other parties<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contact your insurer \u2014 and nominate your preferred tow operator<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Call Garners: <strong><a href=\"tel:+61408202936\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">0408 202 936<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our Commitment to the South Coast Community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sixty-two years is a long time to do one thing. The reason we\u2019re still here is simple: we\u2019ve done it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019ve been trusted by locals who\u2019ve lived on the South Coast their whole lives. By tourists from Sydney who\u2019ve never been stranded before and didn\u2019t know who to call. By insurance companies that need to know a vehicle will be handled professionally and delivered intact. By police who need a reliable, experienced operator at an accident scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The South Coast is our home. Lake Conjola, Conjola National Park, the Shoalhaven waterways, Bendalong, Manyana, Sussex Inlet, Ulladulla \u2014 we know every metre of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t have a call centre. We don\u2019t have a national franchise. We have 62 years of experience, a professional fleet, and a direct phone number that gets answered every time, at any hour of the day or night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Short Version: Save This Before You Need It<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Before you drive the Princes Highway:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Check tyres, oil, coolant, battery, and lights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Charge your phone<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Save this number: <strong>0408 202 936<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you break down:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hazards on immediately<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get as far left as possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stay inside if the shoulder is narrow<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Call us directly \u2014 don\u2019t wait on hold with a national line<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you\u2019ve been in an accident:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Call 000 for injuries first<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t move vehicles until police advise<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have the right to choose your own tow operator \u2014 choose local<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Call Garners On The Road Towing \u2014 24\/7, Every Day of the Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"tel:+61408202936\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">0408 202 936<\/a><\/strong> 1046 Princes Highway, Conjola NSW 2539 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:garnersontheroadtowing@gmail.com\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">garnersontheroadtowing@gmail.com<\/a> License No: 08016250<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re here when the road gets complicated. We always have been.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Explore our services:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/emergency-towing.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">24\/7 Emergency Towing \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/accident-towing.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Accident Towing \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/roadside.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Roadside Assistance \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/recovery.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4WD Recovery \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/insurance.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Insurance Towing \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/garnersontheroadtowing.com.au\/tilt-tray.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tilt Tray Towing \u2192<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Garners On The Road Towing has served the NSW South Coast community since 1958. Family-owned and locally operated, we provide 24\/7 towing, roadside assistance, accident recovery, 4WD recovery, boat towing, and secure vehicle storage. Based at 1046 Princes Highway, Conjola NSW 2539. Licensed operator: 08016250. ABN: 72 426 459 511.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Rodney Garner Founder, Garners On The Road Towing | Conjola NSW | Est. 1958 | June 2026 9-minute read Need help right now? We&#39;re available 24\/7 on 0408 202 936 &mdash; based in Conjola, covering the full South Coast corridor. I started this business in 1958.That&#8217;s not a number I throw around for effect. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-safe-guide"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>62 + Years of South Coast Road Safety Lessons | Garners Towing<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rodney Garner shares decade + years of road safety insights from the Princes Highway. 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