While Santa famously travels the world in a single night, the rest of us need to take regular rest breaks and manage fatigue these holidays, the Chief Executive of the Australian Trucking Association, Stuart St Clair, said today.

“With the family holiday or a big festive event to get to, many people feel pressured to push through fatigue or drive faster to cut the journey time,” Mr St Clair said.

“But it’s better to be late to a party than on time for an accident.

“Stick to the speed limit and avoid driving when tired. If you feel sleepy behind the wheel, pull over and have a nap, or share the job with another qualified driver.”

Mr St Clair asked truck drivers keep the holiday traffic in mind when planning schedules for the coming weeks.

“The roads are always busy at this time of year – it’s not a surprise. Trucking businesses and drivers need to schedule in time to safely deal with traffic delays,” he said. 

“Professional drivers should keep an eye out for holiday motorists who may not be familiar with the roads, or who are towing a boat or caravan for the once-a-year holiday. Be patient, stay well back and share the road safely.”

To raise awareness of road safety these holidays, the ATA has developed a short animated video that will be played on TV stations around Australia over the coming weeks.

The video recommends a few simple tips for motorists to help make everyone’s holiday safer:

• Stay out of heavy vehicle blind spots. If you sit in the blind spots immediately behind a truck or close to the left passenger door, the driver may not know you are there.
   
• Don’t cut in front of trucks as they slow for traffic lights or when you’re out on the highway. A truck needs a greater distance to stop than you expect, because they are much heavier than cars.
   
•  Don’t overtake trucks when they are turning. Trucks often need to turn from the centre lane at intersections and corners, so stay well back.

Road users can watch the animated road safety video and download the full list of truckie’s top tips at www.safetytruck.com.au.