Urgent action is needed to improve industry safety, the ATA said in its submission to the Senate inquiry on the importance of a viable, safe, sustainable and efficient road transport industry.

The submission outlines the importance of implementing practical safety measures such as:

• building safer roads and improving truck rest areas
• mandating autonomous emergency braking for all new trucks and extending the electronic stability control requirement to all new rigid trucks
• improving driver training and licensing
• regulating freight matching platforms to ensure they are subject to chain of responsibility under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL), and
• implementing no-blame safety investigations for heavy vehicle crashes.

The submission also warns of of the implications of re-establishing the failed Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, while calling for improved industry consultation and boosts to productivity.