The educational vehicle will be at the LRTAQ’s four-day annual event which runs over this weekend
The Australian Truck Association (ATA)’s Safety Truck will be on hand as part of this week’s Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland (LRTAQ) event at the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach, Queensland.
While the four-day event runs from today till Sunday, the Safety Truck will be on display on Saturday, May 21, from 7:30am till 10am.
As key freight location in central Queensland through which heavy vehicles make regular runs, ATA CEO Christopher Melham says education is critical for those “who may never have been taught how to interact safely with trucks.”
“Trucks are an essential part of day to day life across Australia,” he says. “With Longreach situated right on one of the Landsborough Highway, large trucks frequently pass through the town.
“This exposure means it’s more important than ever that local drivers are given the information they need to share the road safely with trucks.”
The ATA CEO says the free community event is the right time to use “videos, displays and a road safety app” to help “visitors to learn about the ‘truckies’ top tips’ for driving safely around trucks.”
“These are practical safety measures that road users can take to help keep everyone safe on the road, like avoiding truck blind spots, not cutting in front of trucks, and keeping back from turning trucks.”
Earlier this week the industry body unveiled data that highlighted an 80 per cent drop in fatal crashes involving articulated trucks since 1982, however Melham concedes “there is still more to do.”
And as such, he is calling on “political parties and candidates in this election campaign to support practical measures to improve road safety.”
“The Safety Truck is wholly and generously funded by the industry and its suppliers,” he says. “With this support the ATA has taken the Safety Truck to every state and territory, and maintains a busy touring schedule.
“But there are always other visit requests we can’t make due to time, distance or monetary constraints.
“It’s not right that these communities miss out on vital road safety information.
“As such, we call on political parties and candidates to commit to providing car drivers with more information about how to share the road safely with trucks.”
Alongside the Safety Truck, the LRTAQ event will include the industry body’s annual general meeting, a series of meetings and forums, a community sausage sizzle, and the 2016 Bull Carter’s Ball.
More information on the event can be found here.