The road and traffic authority has installed five safety message signs between Portland and Nelson
Alarmed by a number of truck roll-over incidents, particularly in south western Victoria, VicRoads has started an education and awareness campaign on heavy vehicle safety.
The truck roll over issue is a major concern for state transport and workplace safety authorities that have reported a number of such incidents in the past year.
The move comes a few days after Workplace Health and Safety Queensland began a parked vehicle safety campaign following a recent incident where the driver of a truck was crushed when his truck rolled back over him in Brisbane.
VicRoads states that last year the region saw up to 15 roll-over incidents and two fatalities.
So far, it has installed up to five safety message signs between Portland and Nelson.
The Victorian road authority is trying to spread the message about risks associated with unsecured loads and truck roll-overs, VicRoads regional director Mark Koliba says.
“The effectiveness of load restraint is dependant on many factors including the type and size of load, orientation, weather conditions, maintenance of the vehicle and driver experience.
“This campaign has raised awareness, reminded drivers about why roll-overs happen and provided advice to operators and business owners about loads and load restraint.
“It’s also been a good opportunity to remind all road users that from packing the family car to transporting goods and supplies, loads need to be secured safely,” Koliba says.
The authorities met with 250 heavy vehicle drivers and 70 forestry drivers to understand the day-to-day issues before launching the campaign.