Photo by UHGO on Pexels.
As the holidays draw closer and the so called “silly season” sets in, Esperance police are reminding people to take care and have patience when they are driving, especially in the presence of trucks.
Harvest season is underway, and the trucks are rolling out of the depot and onto Esperance roads, which according to Senior Sergeant of police Chris Taylor, is a recipe for increased road risks.
“Impatient drivers take unnecessary risks,” he said.
“Accidents happen because of people not paying attention.”
Bad behaviour and a complacent attitude are leading reasons the Australian Road Safety Foundation say are fuelling the rise in accidents on regional roads.
Some of their statistics indicate 30 per cent of Australians are less vigilant on regional roads and 50 per cent have admitted to breaking a road rule in a regional area.
“The primary reason Aussies are breaking laws on regional roads is that they believe it’s safe, but distraction and not getting caught are also key factors,” an ARSF spokesperson said.
Police say especially times of the year with increased traffic, it is crucial for drivers to remain vigilant about road rules and risks to keep themselves and other road users safe.
“It’s all about being patient,” Snr Sgt Chris Taylor said.
“Take as much care as possible. Always make sure you take care overtaking and have enough time.
“Pay attention.”
Don’t Muck with a Truck is a campaign of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulation that a spokesperson said was aimed to at educating young drivers about road risks around trucks.
“Many young drivers who are either learning to drive or are provisional licence holders aren’t always taught how to drive safely around trucks,” they said.
They shared three safety tips:
- Never overtake or drive past a turning truck.
- Give a truck three to four more space than you would a car when pulling in front of them.
- Wait for a dedicated overtaking lane or a long, clear stretch of road when you need to overtake a truck. Indicate and overtake them quickly to minimise the time you are in their blind spot. Only pull back in when you see the truck’s headlights in the rearview mirror.
More information on road safety around trucks can be found on the NHVR website.
