ATA calls for practical road safety measures

Trucking Association lobbies the Government to fund safety campaign

Chair of the Australian Trucking Association, Noelene Watson has called on the Federal Government to fund a ‘share the road safely’ communications campaign in its 2017-18 Budget.

"In its 2015 major accident investigation report, Australia’s leading truck insurer, NTI, concluded that the truck was not at fault in 84 per cent of the fatal multi-vehicle accidents involving trucks," Mrs Watson said.

"There is a critical need for a safety communication campaign to educate motorists to share the road safely, by staying out of truck blind sports, not cutting in front of trucks and not overtaking trucks when they are turning.

"After it abolished the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, the Government allocated $3.9 million per year to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator for truck safety measures that would actually make a difference to safety.

"We say that some of the funding in 2017-18 should be allocated to this share the road safely campaign.

"The Government should also allocate an appropriate share of the funding to WA and the NT. The NHVR is not responsible for heavy vehicle regulation in those states."

Mrs Watson said the 2017-18 Budget was also an opportunity for the Government to build on its commitment to road safety investment.

"The Coalition was re-elected in 2016 with a commitment to maintain funding from 2019-20 onwards for critical road safety investment programs like the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, Roads to Recovery and the Black Spot Program," she said.

"The Coalition now needs to deliver on this commitment."

Mrs Watson said the proposed budget measures were part of the ATA’s lobbying for practical, evidence-based measures to reduce the road toll.

You can read the ATA's full submisison
here.

ATA calls for practical road safety measures

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