The federal government and National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) are joining forces to take further action on reducing road trauma for heavy vehicle operators with new road safety project funding initiatives.
As part of round nine of the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), the pair will provide $3.9 million of funding for 16 road safety projects that will deliver safety improvements across Australia’s heavy vehicle industry.
Successful applicants for the funding include Deakin University’s ‘Truckwise Roadshow’ that aims to increase awareness of safety practices when working with heavy vehicles through the use of virtual reality and St John Ambulance’s Defibs in Trucks program that will equip 50 heavy vehicles with new Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and provide First Aid training to drivers to reduce deaths in regional, rural and remote communities.
GM Cartage and Contracting is also part of the funding for its Accelerating Ambitions Program aiming to increase awareness among young drivers of career opportunities within the trucking industry.
“The NHVR’s HVSI program continues to support safety initiatives that benefit the heavy vehicle industry and the wider community,” NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto says.
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“Through this game-changing program, we have seen projects across the country deliver lasting and transformative results.
“We look forward to continuing to engage with safety-focused groups towards a shared goal of safer roads for all – and utilise their extensive knowledge and existing work to deliver future improvements to heavy vehicle safety.
“There is still plenty of work to do to reduce road trauma in Australia, which is why I am looking forward to seeing these 16 new initiatives get underway, and the positive impact they are sure to have on heavy vehicle safety right across the country.”
The new initiatives are set to provide tangible improvements for the transport and logistics sector, supporting productivity and making the road network safer by developing much-needed training, educational campaigns and innovative new technologies.
The federal government has invested more than $41 million across 169 HVSI projects since the program commenced in 2016. A list of successful applicants and more information about the HVSI is available here.
“The trucking industry is the backbone of our nation’s economy and that’s why our government is continuing to invest in road safety programs that will keep truckies safe and keep Australia’s economy moving,” federal assistant regional development minister Anthony Chisholm says.
“These 16 successful projects provide solutions to challenges that we’re currently seeing throughout the industry, such as removing barriers for young people entering the sector, increasing awareness of how to drive safely around heavy vehicles and boosting safety within the industry itself.
“This includes the excellent initiative by St John Ambulance to equip 50 trucks with new, high-quality Automated External Defibrillators, and training truck drivers to provide first aid, reducing roadside deaths in regional, rural, and remote communities in the process.”
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