ROAD COURTESY

A simple concept, but along with driver education and awareness of sharing the roads all increasing your own safety, things which are often not given enough consideration. Many people are in a hurry for whatever reason, be it important or otherwise and the speed of life has changed, as have the vehicles we drive. A driver's attitude can be the biggest danger, to themselves and others.

As professional drivers we see many near misses and acts of impatience everyday on the road and like you we are not perfect, we are human, but our aim is to eventually get home safely to our families, most likely yours as well.

People often risk their lives and that of their passengers/families to pass a truck or get in front of one to save a few minutes, if that. Is it really worth it? Often it's a large risk for a small gain. Cars chances to pass a truck occur a lot more often than trucks chances to pass a car.

The aim of this program is to save lives by offering car drivers another view.

Truck drivers drive cars but not all car drivers drive trucks and with Australian Transport Safety Bureau figures showing that 70 per cent of fatal accidents involving articulated vehicles (semi trailers) are no fault of the truck driver and another 15 per cent the truck driver is only partly to blame.

That makes 85 per cent the fault of the other party. This only confirms that better understanding of sharing the road with trucks is needed.

The old practice of flashing cars past has been made illegal. It was only courtesy. Perhaps it should have been part of road law teaching, rather than part of road lore.

Lastly, if more people considered others on the road for just a second and/or offered a wave of thanks when someone does the right thing it might lead to less waving of fingers or fists.

Road rage is mostly brought on by attitude, whether it's one driver or both. This sharing the road program is aimed at lessening accidents and improving safety for all.

CARS OVERTAKING TRUCKS THEN SLOWING AND ROAD POSITIONING

Often a car will pass a truck at or near the crest of a hill and perhaps not realise how quickly the truck will reach legal road speed down the other side.

Having passed while the truck is yet to pick up full speed some drivers pull directly in front of the truck having only considered the speed the truck was travelling at.

This only causes the truck to brake heavily or to try and change lanes.

Trucks are hard enough to stop, let alone when going downhill and having someone pull right in front of them.

Please leave plenty of room before you pull back in front and if you are travelling below the speed limit it may be worth considering staying behind the truck and having it move away in front of you once over the hill.

ROAD POSITIONING: Slowly many of our major roads are being widened to a safer width allowing traffic a gap between opposing vehicles without being right on the edge of the roadway.

Many drivers either being used to narrow city traffic lanes or narrow highways travel very close to the centre line.

With trucks greater width this is often necessary but with cars you then lose the benefit and safety margin on wider roads, and if you then tow a caravan or trailer these often ride on or cross the centre line where you may hit oncoming traffic or be fined.

This can be very dangerous at night if your trailer does not have reflectors or lights fitted to the extremities and the width is not allowed for.

In the event of having to pull off the road for a flat or a breakdown or even by police request, where possible move well off the roadway.

Police always park further out than a vehicle they have pulled over to give the police officer a safety corridor in front of their car, whilst beside yours.

Some people park or leave their vehicle only centimetres past the fog line (the unbroken line on the left hand edge of the roadway) believing this is safe enough, but they don't consider that trucks use all of the lane width up to this line and this practice leaves no room for error.

It's an even bigger hazard at night or in the rain.

Lastly, if pulling up on the roadside for any reason at night, park well off and make sure your headlights are dipped or off.

Blinding oncoming traffic may mean they cannot see your hazard lights or you waving for help until the last second and could even cause an accident.

Breakdown reflective triangles as you may see used by trucks could be a worthwhile investment, and may save damage to you or your car should it be in a hazardous position or have no battery power.