Australia's Most Dangerous Freight Route
National Road Transport Association Chairman, Paul Fellows has called for an industry discussion on driver competency while revealing that the Eyre Highway has been deemed Australia’s ‘most dangerous road freight route’.
Revealing that the Eyre Highway is now regarded as the most dangerous road comes after a recent National Road Transport Association Industry Forum held in Mount Gambier.
Mr Fellows said the tragic death of three truck drivers in a smash near Yalata on April 4 focused national attention on the Eyre Highway.
He said he could not speculate on the cause, as it was a matter for the South Australian Coroner.
‘I will say that the 1200km road linking Western Australia to the rest of the country has been carrying an enormous volume of freight since floods temporarily closed the Trans-Australian Railway line in March.
‘There have been reports of some operators being offered lucrative sums to haul loads and meet urgent deadlines with some new and inexperienced drivers suddenly finding themselves behind the wheel,’ he said.
‘While the rail line has re-opened and the backlog is subsiding, the behaviour of some inexperienced drivers is a problem’.
The incidents have led him to call for an urgent industry conversation about driver competency and for road users to report bad behaviour.
‘The Association has been calling for a move to national and improved standards for years. Time spent on a particular class of licence should no longer be the determinant of progression, and drivers coming from other countries should have to meet our standards,’ he said.
‘If you see dangerous driver behaviour, the Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line 1800 931 785 is a secure, national and confidential telephone service to report safety issues. Calling police is an option if there’s a risk to life,’ he said.
‘Dobbing may not sit comfortably with some, but it could be your life or that of a friend or workmate that you save’ he added.