Mr Hinton constantly covers tens of thousands of kilometres across New South Wales to deliver fuel to producers and retail sites.

Mr Hinton was awarded one of Lowes Petroleum's inaugural driver awards which recognise those who have been committed to safety.

Lowes Petroleum has more than 250 drivers who deliver fuel across the country and Mr Hinton said the drivers are not only committed to delivering fuel safely but also being aware of tank safety during their trips.

"We all develop relationships with our customers: from taking responsibility to ensure gates are opened, then closed properly to keep livestock safe to bringing in a few essential items to farms isolated by flood," he said.

"We are urging drivers over the holidays to slow down, don't drive fatigued and, if an area is hit with floods, never try to drive through roads covered with water.

"It's not the depth that presents the risk, but you could get halfway across and a bank breaks upstream sending a wall of water that could wash your vehicle into the river."

READ ALSO:

Mr Hinton has an office unlike most and admitted it is an enjoyable career travelling across New South Wales.

"There is nothing like being out on the open road," he said.

"The fact we get to deliver to a variety of people, sharing the ups and downs of living in regional Australia: all the while getting a bird's eye view of the country from my cab."

Lowes Petroleum's General Manager of Health, Safety and Environment Bernie Morris said the company had been searching for a way to reward drivers for their professionalism.

"Every day we are receiving comments from customers and the public to 'stop and go' traffic people about our driver's professionalism and this was the perfect way to acknowledge this," he said.

"Often there's a perception that driving on country roads has less risk: that perception is wrong.

"As many as 94% of Australians utilise rural roads at least once a year. With Christmas and the summer holidays upon us, and with more and more Australians holidaying at home - these roads are set to get busier.

"Our professional drivers share these roads and often see first-hand road safety complacency. Most people go to work every day in an office or controlled environment, whereas for our drivers their office is the roads and highways."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: