Fatal truck crashes plummet in 2018

The Australian Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics found the number of fatal crashes involving heavy vehicles dropped from 171 in 2017 to 136 in 2018.

Those 136 crashes saw the loss of 154 lives, including 89 deaths from 78 crashes involving articulated trucks, 74 deaths from 65 crashes involving heavy rigid trucks and nine deaths from seven crashes involving both a heavy rigid truck and an articulated truck (which explains the numerical disparity).

In statistical terms, there was a 20.5 per cent decrease in fatal crashes involving heavy trucks, a 15.2 per cent decrease in fatal crashes involving articulated trucks and a 26.1 per cent decrease in fatal crashes involving heavy rigid trucks.

The figures have been hailed by the Australian Trucking Association as proof of the industry’s ongoing improvements in safety and maintenance.

ATA chairman Geoff Crouch says there is still work to be done.

“Until we reach a point where there are zero fatalities and injuries on our roads, the ATA will continue to advocate for practical safety solutions,” he said.

Those measures include:

The ATA points to a recent multi-agency operation led by WA Main Roads in partnership with the NHVR, South Australian Police and Department of Transport WA which found a high level of legal compliance by operators.

“The operation on the SA-WA border found 91 per cent of trucking operators travelling interstate to be compliant with the Heavy Vehicle National Law,” Crouch said.

“The results of this operation, and the crash statistics, highlight the industry’s improving safety and compliance record.

“Last week we received $400,000 from the Australian Government for the refurbishment of the Volvo ATA Safety Truck, a road safety initiative that educates young drivers and vulnerable road users about how to share the road safely with trucks.”