The Australian Trucking Association’s travelling road safety exhibition, the Safety Truck, will open its doors at Longreach this Saturday as part of a free community event organised by the Livestock and Rural Carriers Association of Queensland.



The Safety Truck will be on display at the Longreach Stockman’s Hall of Fame from 7:30am – 10am on Saturday 21 May.



The Chief Executive Officer of the ATA, Christopher Melham, said the Safety Truck was a critical part of the ATA’s commitment to improving road safety outcomes across Australia.



“Trucks are an essential part of day to day life across Australia. With Longreach situated right on one of the Landsborough Highway, large trucks frequently pass through the town,” Mr Melham said.



“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. This is particularly essential for L and P plate drivers, who may never have been taught how to interact safely with trucks.



“That’s where the Safety Truck comes in. Using videos, displays and a road safety app, the Safety Truck invites 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 ATA released new figures that showed the fatal crash rate for articulated trucks has fallen by 80 per cent since 1982. It’s good news, but there is still more to do.



“That’s why the ATA 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. 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.”



The Safety Truck travels around Australia visiting festivals, shows and other community events. For more information or to request a Safety Truck visit, go to www.safetytruck.com.au.



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