The Australian Trucking Association’s travelling road safety exhibition, the Safety Truck, will be on tour through Gippsland from 22 to 27 March to coincide with the final week of the Gippsland Truckies Lighting up for Safety campaign.
Organised by the Gippsland Safe Freight Network, the Truckies Lighting Up for Safety campaign calls on trucking operators in Gippsland to turn on their headlights to reduce daytime collisions and draw attention to the ‘invisible truck’ phenomenon.
Campaign spokesman Alan Pincott said the Safety Truck tour was a fantastic way to highlight the end of the campaign.
“We’ve had a really good response to the campaign, with a significant drop in crashes in the Gippsland area and a lot of operators turning on their lights during daytime running,” Mr Pincott said.
“The Safety Truck is an excellent tool to teach children and adults alike how to share the road safely. It will already be familiar to people as the talking truck in the animated road safety videos currently on WIN TV Gippsland.
“We’re committed to reducing the road toll in Gippsland. I strongly encourage people to visit the Safety Truck during its tour and find out how they can stay safe on the road around heavy vehicles.”
The Safety Truck will be open to the public at the following locations:
• 10am – 2pm Saturday 22 March, East Gippsland Convoy for Kids festival at Great Lakes Airport, Lakes Entrance
• 10am – 2pm Monday 24 March, on the Princess Hwy between Service and Pyke Streets, Bairnsdale
• 10am – 2pm Tuesday 25 March, at the Safeway Car Park on Reeve Street, Sale
• 10am – 2pm Wednesday 26 March, at the Safeway Car Park on the corner of Smith and Pearl St, Leongatha
• 10am – 2pm Thursday 27 March, Traralgon
Local trucking operator Nola Bransgrove OAM from Branstrans is also providing support for the tour.
“I think there’s a great synergy between Truckies Light Up and the Safety Truck – they’re both trucking industry initiatives working to help people stay safe on our roads,” Mrs Bransgrove said.
“We want everyone to get home safe at the end of the day - our employees, our families, our friends and our entire community. The Safety Truck plays an important role in that.”
The Safety Truck will also be at the International Truck, Trailer and Equipment Show in Melbourne from 3 April. For more information or to request a Safety Truck visit, go to www.safetytruck.com.au.
