Canberra drivers tempted to push through to the NSW south coast as they make their summer pilgrimage on the Kings Highway have been urged to slow down and take a break.
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Police on Tuesday launched an annual cross-border traffic operation, which will see extra highway patrol officers target speeding drivers on the notorious stretch of road as traffic swells throughout December and January.
ACT Policing's Traffic Operations officer in charge Rod Anderson said there were 18 crashes, including one fatality, on the notorious stretch of road last summer.
Almost 300 drivers were nabbed for speeding in that same period.
"We remind drivers on the Kings Highway to take breaks every couple of hours, to not be distracted by mobile phones, to wear seatbelts and to drive to the conditions.
"We see a large amount of traffic to and from the ACT accessing the south coast of NSW, as well as the local traffic, and with that increase in traffic there's an increased risk of collisions."
Sergeant Anderson advised drivers to either stop and have a rest or switch drivers half-way to avoid fatigue.
"The average trip for Canberrans to and from the coast is about two hours. Don't leave it for two hours to have your break, stop somewhere like Bungendore or Braidwood, have a bit of a break on your way home."
NSW Police Superintendent Bob Ryan pointed out the highway was a single-lane road and there were limited opportunities for drivers to overtake, which meant it was "absolutely essential" people took their time and are patient."
He also encouraged passengers in cars to act responsibly.
"Our focus has always been on the driver and the driver taking responsibility ultimately that's where responsibility sits. But if you're in a car and the driver's making you feel uncomfortable you need to say something to that driver."
Motorists who haven't travelled on the stretch since last year's holiday period will notice new pedestrian crossings at Braidwood, as well as fresh line markings and more roadside vehicle-activated signs.
Queanbeyan Highway Patrol supervisor Rob Tapply said there had been 34 motor vehicle crashes on the Kings Highway so far this year.
He said towns along the highway such as Monga and Warri were highly-represented in crash data.
Eurobodalla Shire Council's divisional manager of technical services Greg Miller said councils needed to continue to work with all levels of government to make sure there were funds available for continued improvements to the highway.
"Some of those improvements are more overtaking lanes, improved bends, better signposting and line markings, and a lot of that work needs to be carried out between Braidwood and Batemans Bay."
The summer campaign was started seven years ago by the Kings Highway Road Safety Partnership and will complement ACT Policing's broader efforts to reduce dangerous driving and crashes during the Christmas months.
"Our road safety strategy is around trying to achieve zero deaths on our roads by 2020 and it's a tragedy we have reached the figure of 10 this year," Sergeant Anderson said.
"That's 10 families who have been affected by a road tragedy, 10 families who aren't going to have a family member at Christmas and who have to drive on the same part of road where their family member was killed."
The ACT's yearly road toll ranged from six to 26 fatalities in the past decade, with the majority of those deaths due to the "fatal five" factors of speed, seatbelts, drugs or alcohol, fatigue and inattention.
