At 3pm this afternoon when the school bell or siren sounds, the winter school holiday break begins. That means thousands of families hitting the road to get away for prolonged period after being in lockdown for the Easter holidays.

The word from the Richmond Police District is to stay safe on Northern NSW roads during school holiday period.

Richmond Police District police are urging those travelling on the roads this school holiday break to be alert and aware of their surroundings, as thousands of people are expected to travel throughout regional NSW.

The NSW school holiday period commences on Monday 6 July and runs until Friday 17 July, with thousands of families expected to head north to regional and coastal towns.

Richmond Police District Acting Commander, Cameron Lindsay, says this is likely the first trip many families have taken in months and is urging them to take it slow.

“We understand and appreciate everyone’s desire to get out and explore parts of the state outside of our local towns, but with a large influx of traffic on the roads, we all have to be aware that some drivers haven’t been behind the wheel of a car in three-months.” Acting Superintendent Lindsay said.

“With Queensland re-opening its border with NSW from Friday 10 July and many people heading north to chase the warmer weather, we all have to be patient – there will be delays, there will be congestion, but please take your time and don’t rush.

The reported traffic jam is predicted to be up to 20km's from July 10 as Queensland police check declarations that travellers have not come from a Melbourne hot spot.

“Ensure you take regular breaks at rest stops along the way, drive to the conditions and don’t have your mobile phone anywhere within reach while behind the wheel.

“In saying that, before you head out for that road trip, make sure your vehicle has been given an appropriate safety check by a mechanic – particularly if it’s been stored in a garage for some time collecting dust.

“With a larger volume of vehicles and caravans on the road, we are urging drivers to please take it easy and don’t rush – it’s better to get to your destination a couple of hours later than not arriving at all.

“Popular locations such as Ballina and Evans Head will also likely see an influx of visitors during the next fortnight. Please keep in mind social distancing when out in public and adhere to all relevant COVID-safe plans and rules at pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants.

“We aren’t out of the woods yet with COVID-19, we all still have to be alert and following social distancing guidelines. This is even more important in regional and rural locations where a large portion of holidaymakers will be from out of town." Acting Superintendent Lindsay said.