From 'Planning an Australian Road Trip' by Jonathon Poulson

Whether it's just a quick weekend trip to head out and explore or a year of freedom to see the country, more Australians are opting for road trips instead of international travel. Authorities and tourism operators in the Australian outback are preparing for another surge in "first-time travellers" and with it, a wave of new drivers eager to tackle dirt roads and red desert.

But while cruising across the outback with little planning has its benefits, locals say it's crucial to prepare for a safe adventure by learning about the dangers before hitting the road.  Maps can be deceiving, GPS and phone reception are not always reliable, and what looks like a reasonably short drive can be much longer than first thought.

Broken Hill Police Inspector Matthew McCarthy has lived in the New South Wales outback all his life and has spent the past 20 years warning travellers that driving around Australia should not be underestimated.

"I don't think travellers quite understand the vastness of the area, which is the beauty of it the fact that it's remote and that there's nothing out there," he said.

Inspector McCarthy said officers from the Barrier Police District dealt with multiple calls each day from motorists who became bogged after rain events.

"We've had a few horror stories of people wanting to drive through creeks that are flowing at some speed and depth, and people still persist on driving through them," he said.

"We've had people who will drive a front-wheeled drive vehicle from Brisbane to Melbourne or Adelaide and they'll decide they're going to drive down a road that's under water for 400 metres.

"If the road conditions are bad where you are, generally they're going to get worse, so if there's a sign that says 'road closed', besides the fact that it's an offence, don't drive on it." The fine for driving on a closed road in the Barrier Police District is $1,100.

"If you think you can't go forward, stop," Inspector McCarthy said.

Outback four-wheel driving trainer Michael McCulkin says the biggest killers on western NSW roads are "ignorance and impatience". "We encountered just about every road condition imaginable," he said. "There have been a lot of first-timers and I think that they've had quite an amazing experience given that they haven't been out this way before and realised just how significant it is as a tourist destination," she said.

"We do see people towing very big caravans with not very big cars and if we could help prevent things like accidents happening then I think that's good.

The State Emergency Service advised people travelling on outback roads to always carry enough food and water for at least two days per person.