The transport industry is moving to welcome the Victorian government’s latest road rule action that will better protect emergency roadside workers and tow truck drivers.
The RACV has welcomed the announcement that Road Rule 79A will be expanded to protect workers and tow truck drivers, as well as their customers.
RACV general manager of automotive services Makarla Cole says the change addresses safety issues in Victoria’s road rules and aligns the state with other Australian jurisdictions.
Since 2017, drivers on Victorian roads have had to slow down to 40km/h when passing emergency services vehicles at the side of the road.
For the past two years, Cole and RACV have called on the state government to include roadside assistance vans such as RACV patrol vans and tow trucks in the rule.
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The new rule means from July 1, the rule will be extended to include accident towing, breakdown towing, roadside assistance, Peninsula Link Incident Response, Eastlink Incident Response and Transurban Incident Response vehicles.
Currently, Road Rule 79A only applies to police vehicles, emergency vehicles, enforcement vehicles and VicRoads Incident Response Service vehicles.
“RACV is pleased with minister Melissa Horne’s announcement that Victorians will soon slow down when passing any incident response vehicle, including RACV patrol vans,” Cole says.
“Victoria’s emergency roadside workers and tow truck drivers are often the first and only responders to an incident or breakdown and are exposed to the same risks to other responders, such as police and paramedics.
“I am sure every driver who has needed the help of an emergency roadside assistance worker or tow truck driver will be pleased to know that the Victorian government is now protecting these essential responders in their workplace and their customers.”
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