Heavy vehicle drivers and other road users are being urged to take care in the wake of an increase in the number of deaths involving heavy vehicles on Victorian roads this year.
The Minister for Roads and Road Safety and the TAC, Jaala Pulford said 42 people had been killed in crashes involving heavy vehicles on Victorian roads so far this year, compared with 28 in the whole of 2018.
“In what has been a tragic year on our roads, we have seen a worrying trend in the number of people dying in crashes involving heavy vehicles and everyone needs to be aware of the risks when driving around trucks,” Ms Pulford said.
“Whether you’re behind the wheel of a truck or sharing the road with one, we all have a responsibility to play our part in keeping each other safe,” she said.
Ms Pulford said that of the fatalities this year, 14 deaths had been truck drivers and their passengers, 16 were other vehicle drivers and their passengers, one bus driver, three motorcyclists, three cyclists and five pedestrians.
She said most heavy vehicle drivers “did the right thing” but that there were common factors in heavy vehicle road crashes including speed, fatigue, impaired driving and unroadworthy vehicles.
She said the Government was funding a $4 million program to develop a heavy vehicle training program in partnership with the Victorian Transport Association and providers, to put drivers through their paces, improve driving skills and develop “safety first” attitudes.
“In addition, a $850,000 roadside fatigue testing trial is currently underway to see if roadside testing for extreme fatigue can be conducted in a similar way to current roadside alcohol and drug testing.”
Further information on heavy vehicle safety can be accessed at this PS News link.
