New safety campaign for truckies and caravaners to co-exist

16-09-2019

New safety campaign for truckies and caravaners to co-exist

A quarter of caravan and Recreational Vehicle users have stayed overnight in truck rest areas according to research released by the Caravan Industry Association of Australia.

The research is part of a new information campaign, funded under the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative.

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the campaign highlights the importance of ensuring truck drivers can manage their fatigue and legal responsibilities, with a particular focus on truck rest stops and improved communication.

“There are more than one million registered RV and heavy vehicle combination across Australia so information about sharing roads and rest facilities respectfully is critical to keeping everyone safe,” Sal said.

The Caravan Industry Association of Australia’s research of 554 caravaners or RV drivers who had used a rest stop in the past 12 months showed:

  • 60 per cent had used a rest stop more than once
  • More than three-quarters made the decision to use a rest stop when their trip was underway
  • More than a quarter spent more than nine hours at the rest stop.

Caravan Industry Association of Australia CEO Stuart Lamont said all road users had equal responsibility for road safety.

“Caravan and RV users value safety so this information will help them to understand how to share the road with heavy vehicles, particularly in understanding how such a large vehicle behaves,” he said.

“Our campaign promotes simple information that can reduce frustration, such as the use of UHFs for improved communication between drivers, maintaining speed and road position when being overtaken.

“When stopping for the night make sure you’re aware that truck drivers may need to use the dedicated stops to manage their fatigue hours, so plan your stops and use the appropriate areas to park and not use designated truck parking.”

The partnership between the Caravan Industry Association of Australia and the heavy vehicle industry would save lives.

“Long haul heavy vehicle drivers are often managing fatigue and getting good quality rest is critical to keeping all road users safe,” Sal said.

“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to work with the caravan industry on ways to reduce risk for holiday makers and supporting our truckies who keep Australia moving.”

The Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative funding support implementable, value-for-money projects that will deliver significant heavy vehicle safety benefits.

To find out more about the Co-Exist campaign head to https://coexist.org.au
 

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