The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has issued another set of election focuses it wants both sides of politics to commit to in the lead up to this year’s federal election.
After last week calling for a focus on apprentice and trainee truck driver support from major parties, the ATA is now asking them to look into no-blame safety investigations into truck crashes, improved level crossing safety and building a range of new heavy vehicle rest areas.
ATA chair Mark Parry says the next federal government should resource the safety experts at the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) to investigate serious crashes involving trucks in a no-blame manner.
While releasing the association’s 2025 election campaign initiatives to improve truck driver safety, Parry says he wants political parties to commit to resourcing the ATSB to undertake no-blame safety investigations into truck crashes “where there are lessons to be learned”.
The ATA also calls for the federal government to work with states to improve level crossing safety for sites that don’t have boom gates or lights, including by requiring trains to have flashing beacons and side lights. Lastly, the ATA also wants the next government to build new and upgraded truck rest areas under the $140 million Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative over five years rather than 10.
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“The trucking industry’s safety has improved markedly over the decades, but the number of crashes involving trucks will remain unacceptable until everyone who uses our roads gets home safely every day,” he says.
“The ATSB is Australia’s independent transport safety investigator. It investigates aviation, commercial shipping and rail crashes and is recognised as a world leader. We don’t recognise the ATSB as the asset it is; we don’t take advantage of its expertise to investigate road crashes.
“Crashes involving trucks are investigated by the police, regulators like the NHVR and the coronial system. These investigations may lead to criminal charges or regulatory action. In contrast, ATSB investigations are on a no-blame basis.
“As well as looking at the details of a crash and local conditions, the ATSB looks at corporate risk controls, organisational factors that may have contributed to the crash and external influences such as regulatory requirements and how regulators do their jobs.
“Independent inquiries have repeatedly said that we need to extend no-blame safety investigations to road crashes. We need to start with crashes involving trucks; it needs to happen under the next government.”
Parry says the next government should insist on national regulations requiring trains to have flashing beacons and side lights.
“Trucks are more likely to be involved in level crashes than cars, and more than 18,000 of Australia’s level crossings are not protected by lights or boom gates. There is no one solution to level crossing crashes, but improving the visibility of trains would be a significant improvement in safety, especially at night,” he says.
“There is now a voluntary code of practice to encourage improved train lighting, but it needs to be mandatory. Trucks are required by law to meet minimum lighting standards. Trains should be subject to similar legal requirements.”
Parry says the next government should speed up the construction of new and upgraded truck rest areas.
“Building truck rest areas saves lives. The government is providing $140 million in funding over 10 years for the construction of new and upgraded truck rest areas, but it’s too slow,” he says.
“Our truck drivers need better rest areas now. The next government should complete the delivery of the current rest area program over five years rather than 10.
“If state or local government delays slow the rollout down, the government should increase its contribution for specific projects and consider changing the eligibility criteria to cover approval and preliminary project costs.”
The ATA released its industry workforce platform on March 14 and will publish more policy initiatives as the election gets closer.
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