The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) showed support to this year’s Fatality Free Friday, a safety initiative with the aim of a day without a single fatality on Australian roads.
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Last year (2024) was the deadliest in terms of road accidents since 2012, with 1,300 people tragically losing their lives on the road.
With 51 deaths resulting from a crash involving heavy vehicles in the first four months of this year, NHVR COO Paul Salvati says it’s imperative motorists, industry, and the wider community are united in driving down road fatalities.
“We all have a role to play when it comes to ensuring our roads are safe,” he says.
“While progress has been made in improving road safety, the national road toll remains a sobering reminder that there is still more work to be done.
“It is why at the NHVR we want to shine a spotlight on Fatality Free Friday and implore all road users to ensure they are taking extra caution when getting behind the wheel, including always being well-rested and ready to drive.”
Australia greatly relies on the heavy vehicle industry to transport vital goods and for the betterment of our economy, but their size and weight also mean the consequences of a crash involving a heavy vehicle can be devastating.
“For heavy vehicle drivers, the road is their workplace – and just like in any workplace, our country’s heavy vehicle drivers deserve a safe place to work and to be able to go home safely to their families at the end of their shift,” Salvati says.
“Driving alongside heavy vehicles – whether that be a truck carrying a huge load or a bus full of passengers – requires patience and extra care.
“It is important to always maintain a safe following distance when travelling behind a heavy vehicle, only overtake when it is safe to do so, and give them plenty of extra space particularly when they are turning.”
The NHVR joined the Queensland Police Service and the Department of Transport and Main Roads on Thursday May 29 at the Brown Plains Grand Plaza Shopping Centre, to promote road safety messages in support of Fatality Free Friday.
The NHVR team also spoke to the community about road safety in an interactive space which featured a driving simulator, motorcycles and kids’ activities.
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