The theme for this year’s QRSW is ‘Speaking up for road safety – road rules refresher’ to highlight the importance of following the road rules to keep everyone safe. 

“This week, we will send the Volvo ATA Safety Truck to Warwick to take part in a Queensland Road Safety Week Heavy Vehicle Operator engagement event,” ATA Safety and Skills Adviser Melissa Weller said today. 

“The event is designed to share road safety messages by engaging trucking operators in a positive way. 

“It also provides a platform for truck drivers to share their views about road safety, ask questions and help the ATA understand how we can assist them through our network of member associations,” she said.  

Representatives from the ATA will join the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, Queensland Trucking Association, RACQ and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, as well as TMR road safety officers and Queensland Police officers. 

“The event is all about brushing up on the road rules and having a chat about safety issues in a relaxed and informal environment,” Ms Weller said. 

Department of Transport and Main Roads General Manager, Land Transport Safety, Dennis Walsh thanked the ATA for its support of the fourth annual Queensland Road Safety Week. 

“Each day of the week focuses on road users and on Wednesday we’re highlighting road safety issues faced by heavy vehicles,” Mr Walsh said. 

“The heavy vehicle event at Warwick will be a great opportunity to engage with the trucking industry on their road safety obligations – we’re expecting to meet a lot of truck drivers and operators as the location is along a major route to and from New South Wales. 

“Queensland Road Safety Week has become integral to our efforts to reduce the road toll to zero. It is Australia’s only state-wide initiative that encourages the community to directly get involved in making our roads safer,” he said.

Following the QRSW Heavy Vehicle Operator engagement event, the Volvo ATA Safety Truck will head to Warwick State High School to educate year 12 students about how to share the road safely with trucks. 

“The core focus of the Volvo ATA Safety Truck is to educate young drivers and future drivers about how to share the road safely by staying out of truck blind spots, travelling at a safe distance around trucks and being aware of the space needed when turning,” Ms Weller said. 

The QRSW Heavy Vehicle Operator engagement event will be held on Wednesday 29 August at the Caltex Truck Stop, New England Highway north of Warwick.