Road Positioning

If stopped or broken down, try to park well clear of the roadway. At night use hazard lights and to be safely seen, ensure your headlights are switched off and parking lights are on.

A truck uses its entire lane. If you stay to the left when approaching an oncoming truck you will lessen buffeting from air turbulence.

Maintain Your Speed

When being overtaken by a truck, please maintain your speed and do not accelerate. In fact, it is good to slow for a moment to allow the truck to pass more easily.

Towing Caravans & Boats

If you are being overtaken by a truck, please maintain your speed and stay in your lane. Let the professional truck driver overtake you in a smooth way, even if takes some time.

Lights At Night

Make sure you dip your high beam before reaching a crest or curve. When coming up behind a truck dip early because a truck’s large mirrors don’t have an anti-glare position.

Road Courtesy

Better to give or receive a friendly wave of thanks than a shaken fist. Like you, truck drivers want to get home safely to their families.

For your safety and mine, please learn the Truckie’s Top Tips.

Let’s Share the Road Safely

Seatbelts

Drivers and passengers travelling unrestrained in a car are at least 10 times more likely to be killed in a road crash than those wearing a seat belt. Always use your seatbelt, no matter how short the trip or how well you may know the local roads.

Distractions

Studies show that 80% of collisions are caused by motorists whose attention is taken away from the road by passengers, phones, GPS, radio, eating drinking and smoking.

Distractions are the single biggest cause of crashes and near misses – with road users who take their eyes of the road for two seconds or longer, doubling their crash risk.

Avoid Blind Spots

I use my mirrors so I know what’s around me. If you sit in my blind spots I might not know that you are there.

Don’t sit too close right behind me.

There is also a big blind spot down to the side on my left. Please, don’t sit in the spot near my passenger door, even out to the side on my right can be tricky.

Just remember this simple rule…If you can’t see my mirrors, I can’t see you

Don’t Cut In – Braking Distances

You’ll often see that trucks leave a big space between us and the car in front. You probably don’t realise how dangerous it is if you jump into that space with your car. Because of my size and weight…I need almost twice as much room to brake as a car. If you cut in front – I might not have room to stop!

So for your safety and mine, please don’t Cut In

Don’t Overtake Turning Vehicles

Trucks need more room to get around corners and roundabouts. Sit back until we’ve got around the corner. Or something unfortunate might happen!

100 KPH Speed Limiting

Speed limiting means no engine power is delivered above 100 km/hr, however gravity can push us faster downhill. Truck drivers like to be at the legal speed approaching hills in order to lessen delays to all traffic, but if we slow going uphill or when overtaking, we are doing the best we can.

Overtake With Care

Stay well back behind the truck. Be certain you can see sufficient clear road ahead. When you are sure it is safe, signal, move out, pass quickly but sensibly. Don’t move back in until you can see both the truck’s headlights in your mirrors and do not slow down.