With the Christmas holiday season imminent and traffic at peak levels, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) is urging motorists to take simple precautions when sharing the road with trucks.
“This is one of the busiest times of year for truck drivers, who are working hard to deliver groceries, parcels, medical supplies, and gifts,” said NatRoad CEO, Warren Clark.
“We’re asking motorists to be truck aware and take small steps to reduce risks and keep everyone safe.”
The organisation says one of the biggest and most preventable hazards reported by truck drivers during summer travel is cars parking in truck-only rest bays, which prevents heavy vehicle operators from taking legally required fatigue breaks and heightens the risk on already busy roads.
“A truckie cannot miss a mandated rest break. Clogging rest bays isn’t just a safety issue, it has an impact on everyone else on the road,” said Clark.
NatRoad is encouraging Australians to keep truck drivers top of mind while driving these holidays, with a practical road-sharing checklist.
- Never parkin truck-only rest bays: Heavy vehicle drivers are legally required to take fatigue breaks. Blocking these bays can force truckies to drive while fatigued and find alternatives, which may not be available for many kilometres. In some jurisdictions, it’s illegal to park in these bays, and it’s an unsafe environment to be moving around in since the truck drivers may not be able to see you, especially children.
- Keep a safe following distance: Trucks take longer to stop, and tailgating reduces everyone’s ability to respond safely to sudden changes in traffic.
- Stay out of blind spots: if you can’tsee the driver’s mirrors, they can’tsee you. Truck blind spots are larger and more complex than many motorists realise.
- Don’tcut in front of trucks, especially at lights and roundabouts: Even at low speeds, heavy vehicles need time and space to brake. Cutting in sharply can leave a truck driver with nowhere to go – and it’s the single greatest cause of collisions involving heavy vehicles.
- Give trucks more room to turn: Trucks often need both lanes, oradditionalspace, to safely navigate corners. Squeezing up beside a turning vehicle can lead to serious collisions.
NatRoad says these small actions will help everyone get home safely for Christmas.
“A little patience on the road goes a long way. When motorists know how to safely share the road with trucks, it benefits everyone,” said Warren Clark.
Read about road safety initiatives in New Zealand.
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