It's the storied path that links Canberra with the coast: a frequent trip to escape the city and spend time at the beach.
But the Kings Highway has a dark side, one of the region's deadliest roads.
Police and transport authorities on Wednesday warned motorists to take responsibility for their driving over the summer holiday period, in an effort to reduce the number of crashes and deaths on the road.
ACT Transport Minister Chris Steel said eased COVID restrictions would mean a large number of drivers would make the trip between the ACT and the South Coast, who needed to take care on the highway.
"Everyone needs a break, but with so many motorists on the road, we're asking drivers to be particularly careful when they're going on the Kings Highway this summer. It's really important that drivers slow down and that they're patient with the expected congestion on this road," Mr Steel said.
"If you don't have to overtake the car in front of you, then don't."
The number of motorists on the road each day is expected to swell during the holidays, up from around 3000 vehicles a day in normal times to more than 7000 daily.
"It's really important that drivers on the Kings Highway are particularly vigilant with safety, their own safety and that of others while they're driving down the South Coast," Mr Steel said.
Detective Acting Inspector Paul Hutcheson, the ACT Policing officer in charge of road policing, said both ACT and NSW police would conduct high visibility patrols along the full length of the Kings Highway over summer.
"When we attend serious collisions, everyone involved who caused the collision is obviously very sorry. They're very apologetic to the damage they've caused to other people's lives. But it's too late then. We're asking people to just take responsibility before these incidents occur," Acting Inspector Hutcheson said.
"ACT Policing and NSW police do not want to be attending serious injury collisions. We don't want to be delivering bad news to family members of drivers over the holiday period. We want everyone to get to their destination safely."
There have been at least 12 people killed on the Kings Highway since 2013, along with a number of serious accidents.
From Bungendore to Braidwood is the deadliest stretch of the road, with 14 deaths recorded in the decade to 2017.
