Truck experts from around Australia met yesterday to discuss a range of technical areas for review with a focus on improving safety for all road users.

The Australian Trucking Association’s (ATA) Industry Technical Council (ITC) meeting was held at the ATA offices in Canberra and saw a focus on the Heavy Vehicle Visibility Technical Advisory Procedure (TAP), a document that aims at informing the industry about the significant safety benefits of applying high visibility marking to the side and rear of trucks.

This TAP is being updated by the ATA together with industry representatives and will provide voluntary guidance to increase visibility on roads, along with the performance, ideal placement and recommended material specifications for the markings.

One study by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the effectiveness of retroreflective tape on heavy trailers has shown that improved truck visibility in low light scenarios can reduce rear end collisions and side collisions by 41 percent and 37 percent respectively.[1]

“These road safety benefits illustrate how important these markings are, and we strongly advise that all truck owners consider adhering to a higher level of lighting and reflector requirements,” ATA senior engineering adviser Chris Loose said.

ITC also discussed the next issue of the ATA’s Truck Impact Chart, which is now progressing to the final stage of approval by the ITC. The chart highlights how Higher Productivity Freight Vehicles (HPFV) not only have a lower impact on roads per tonne of freight moved, but also have significant safety and environmental benefits.

“The case for investing in modern higher productivity vehicles speaks for itself,” Mr Loose said.

“Not only is there evidence showing that the emissions are further reduced, but road crash data from Austroads[2] shows significant safety benefits for all road users from fewer larger trucks on the roads and the highly advanced safety technology found in these vehicles,” he said.

The ATA’s Industry Technical Council consists of businesses with leading expertise in truck technology. Under its terms of reference, the ITC provides the ATA with advice on technical issues and develops its technical advisory procedures. For a full list of ITC members, visit www.truck.net.au/public/members-sponsors/itc-members.