ROAD CONDITIONS
Before you even set out, check the road conditions with the local Shire. The guide books tell you to go ask the police, but they always send you to the Shire and generally show very little interest (even if you might be their problem three days later).
  If outback people tell you a road or a track is impassable, believe them! They more often underestimate problems than exaggerate, so if they say No, that certainly means No. 

VEHICLE PREPARATION
Your vehicle should be in a reliable state. Service it before you set out on major outback adventures. Driving a car from Car Connection, as I did, taught me some harsh lessons about the necessity of proper vehicle preparation. 

DAILY VEHICLE CHECK
As a minimum, check the oil, the radiator and the tyres everyday. Make sure you have enough fuel.

TOOLS AND SPARES
Carry a basic set of tools and spares. An absolute minimum is to carry two spare tyres, a jack and jack plate so you can shift flat tyres. The correct size of spanners for your vehicle is important. I had a hand diesel pump falling off once. All that it took was to put it back, but I missed the correct size of spanners or a wrench to do the job. This put me in some difficulty later. 

IN CASE OF A BREAKDOWN
Don't panic. It's probably not as bad as it first seems. Jack Absalom's best advice is that you should boil the billy and make a nice cup of tea before you do anything else. Even if that seems a bit much in case of a flat tyre. 
  Stay with the car. A big vehicle is much easier to find than a person wandering around aimlessly in the bush. It's too easy to get lost or underestimate the distance to the nearest station.

DRUNKS ON THE ROAD
Many people in the outback think that remoteness and distances from the police is great, since they can drink and drive without the risk of being caught. Drunks on the road are probably the biggest hazard that you'll come across (after other tourists).