National Transport Insurance (NTI) has indicated the number of single vehicle truck accidents involving rollovers or running off the road more than doubled from July to October last year compared with the same period in 2010.
According to NTI chief executive Tony Clark, the revelation should serve as a wake-up call for everyone in road transport during the return to full swing after the Christmas/ New Year break.
“NTI prides itself on working together with the trucking industry to create safer roads around Australia– not just for truck drivers but for all road users,” Tony Clark said.
“We urge all truck operators to continue their focus on driver management and vehicle maintenance, to ensure fatigue and other risk factors do not put the driver, or other road users, at greater risk.”
NTI’s 2011 Major Accident Investigation Report, released recently by the National Truck Accident Research Centre, reported that fatigue and inappropriate speed were responsible for almost 50 percent of all serious truck accidents.
“I encourage all truck operators, from fleet managers to owner-drivers, to read a copy of the report to ensure they are aware of the latest trends and causes of serious truck accidents,” Clark concluded.