Safety on the road is a two way street and most truck, haulage and logistic companies and their drivers take it very seriously. To help you know how to keep yourself and others safe while on the road here are the top 12 heavy vehicle driver safety tips from National Heavy Haulage

1. TOP 12 HEAVY VEHICLE
DRIVER SAFETY TIPS
Top 12 Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Tips
nationheavyhaulage.com.au

2. 1. SAFETY TAKES PRIORITY
OVER EVERYTHING
While we take every care to incorporate safety into everything we do,
heavy haulage remains slightly more dangerous than most office work.
That’s why we make safety the number one priority… over speed… over
efficiency… over everything. There might be a quicker way to do
something but if it compromises safety, everyone at National Heavy
Haulage knows the answer is no.
Top 12 Heavy Vehicle Driver Safety Tips
nationheavyhaulage.com.au

3. 2. DEFENSIVE DRIVER
TRAINING
While operators should be conducting regular inspections and
maintenance, drivers need to have the skills to deal with the unexpected
in a truck. There’ll always be a motorist cutting in, slippery conditions
and blowouts to deal with, so having the skills to stay out of trouble are
essential. As the name implies, defensive driving is all about avoiding
problems before they happen.

4. 3. KNOW WHAT TO DO IN
AN ACCIDENT SITUATION
Certain procedures are critical in case of accidents. Drivers should be
aware of their responsibilities and the safest way to deal with the
situation to prevent further injury and get assistance. A company that
has good safety policies such as National Heavy Haulage will have a
procedure in place for their drivers for when the unexpected occurs.

5. 4. REGULAR MAINTENANCE
AND INSPECTIONS
Critical to staying safe is keeping the fleet in perfect working order.
Braking systems, steering systems, transmission, wheel bearings and
tyres are just some of the things than can cause catastrophic accidents if
they fail, so regular maintenance of the entire vehicle is the best policy.

6. 5. ENGAGE DRIVERS IN KEEPING
THE WORKPLACE SAFE
Safety at work is everyone’s business, not just safety inspectors so
drivers should be encouraged to report any potentially dangerous
situations they might encounter. Safety should be discussed at toolbox
meetings on a regular basis with driver input to assist. With everyone
watching out, we can improve systems overall.

7. 6. TEACH DRIVERS TO
READ THE ROAD
Being a “far sighted” driver is about having the knack to tell the angles
and gradients of curves, judge corners and so on. Something that comes
with experience, knowing how to read the road keeps everyone safer.
Less experienced drivers should be encouraged to learn these kinds of
lessons from more experienced drivers.

8. 7. GET THE WEATHER
REPORTS
Driving conditions are affected by weather conditions and a few minutes
spent checking out the weather forecast before the trip can be very
handy later down the line. This can be especially true if travelling in areas
that are affected by the wet season. Get flooded in northern Australia
and it might be 6 months before the truck gets outs again!

9. 8. CONDUCT PRE-TRIP
INSPECTIONS
Just as a pilot checks his plane, a truck driver should run a pre-trip
inspection on his rig to make sure there are no fuel, water or oil leaks,
lights, steering, brakes are all working and there’s plenty of water, fuel
and oil. It might seem obvious but drivers also need to know their height
and weight. One very common type of accident for trucks is getting
jammed under something they can’t fit under! All trucks should carry
tape measures to double check load widths and heights.

10. 9. WRITTEN POLICIES
AND TRAINING
Safety protocol needs to be documented and trained so everyone
knows what to do and what’s expected of them. Occupational Health
and Safety is an ongoing commitment so it’s important to keep pace
with ever-evolving policies and best practice procedures.

11. 10. DRUG & ALCOHOL
TESTING
There’s no place on the road for intoxicated drivers and whilst the vast
majority of professional drivers are actually professionals (like National
Heavy Haulages drivers) and would never dream of coming to work
under the influence of anything, routine drug and alcohol testing is there
to keep it that way.

12. 11. MAINTAIN GOOD
RECORDS
There are many statutory requirements to comply with in the industry
and although it can sometimes seem like a lot to do, it’s all in place for a
good reason… safety. And the improvements that have come about since
the increased regulation would probably mean most companies would
continue to follow the rules even if they didn’t have to.

13. 12. AVOID FATIGUE
Fatigue is public enemy number one on the road. In fact, 10% of all
heavy vehicle fatalities are linked to fatigue*. Log books and rest times
help to ensure drivers aren’t pushing it to the limit, but sometimes just a
3 hour drive on a straight, dusty road heading into the sun can really
take it out of you. There’s no doubt about it, being a truck driver is not
easy. As they say, the only cure for fatigue is sleep. No cargo or deadline
is more important than lives.
* (Australian Transport Safety Bureau)

14. www.nationalheavyhaulage.com.au