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WATCH: How to share rest areas, it’s simple

Whiteline Television worked with road transport safety advocate and veteran driver Rod Hannifey to produce a video explaining to caravaners how to share truck parking bays.

 

The video aims to educate caravaners because with Australia’s lack of rest areas, it’s important to ensure the ones we do have don’t look like an overstocked caravan park when truckies pull in at midnight.

Rod explains in the video that truckies, unlike caravaners, legally have to stop each day.

“We’re the only group that are legally required to have breaks in rest areas, we don’t have the option of going into town and going to a motel or caravan park,” he said.

The importance of sharing rest stops with trucks is emphasised, as Rod explains the fines and safety issues faced if truck drivers have no space to pull up.

A demonstration of simple parking etiquette as well as how to use the space most effectively is shown from a birdseye view. 

Rod believes education is key and has long worked with many caravan groups over the years with the aim of educating them.

An interesting point made in the video is that, according to a truckie Rod spoke to, people don’t like going into car rest areas at night because they feel vulnerable and alone – they’re empty.

“A lot of those people will pull into a truck bay, because they know that trucks are going to come and go, they know that somebody is going to be there at least to keep an eye on them.”

A key takeaway from the video is that if you pull up early, don’t pull up in the middle of a rest area. Leave space, use the extremities if you’re in a small vehicle and give trucks plenty of space.

“Remember that some tired truckies are going to turn up later that night and need to have decent sleep.”

Watch the video below…

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