The September school holidays are now upon us and many families are packing up the kids, the camping gear and the caravan to hit the road for a caravan and camping trip! With so many drivers on the roads at this time of year, it is important to make sure you are driving safely and are aware of sharing the roads with those driving caravans, recreational vehicles, and trucks.
This campaign came about in an effort to help educate, inform and encourage drivers about the importance of driving safely and planning out trips and rest stops. The Caravan Industry Association of Australia and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator have come together to launch the Co-Exist Campaign.
In plain terms Co Exist is an education and awareness campaign to help road and rest stop users exist together on our roads.
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said he would encourage all caravanners to visit the co-exist website before they start their trip.
“Jump online, have a read and pass it on to friends because more informed and responsible drivers will contribute to safer roads and less accidents,” Mr Buchholz said.
“I urge caravanners to take advantage of the great facilities at camping grounds and caravan parks and give truck drivers the space to stop at roadside rest areas to ensure they have their proper break.”
Caravan Industry Association of Australia’s research of 554 caravaners or RV drivers who had used a rest stop in the past 12 months showed:
Caravan Industry Association of Australia CEO Stuart Lamont said all road users had equal responsibility for road safety.
“Caravan and RV users value safety so this information will help them to understand how to share the road with heavy vehicles, particularly in understanding how such a large vehicle behaves,” Mr Lamont said.
“Our campaign promotes simple information that can reduce frustration, such as the use of UHFs for improved communication between drivers, maintaining speed and road position when being overtaken.
“When stopping for the night make sure you’re aware that truck drivers may need to use the dedicated stops to manage their fatigue hours, so plan your stops and use the appropriate areas to park and not use designated truck parking.”
NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the partnership between the Caravan Industry Association of Australia and the heavy vehicle industry would save lives.
“Long haul heavy vehicle drivers are often managing fatigue and getting good quality rest is critical to keeping all road users safe,” Mr Petroccitto said.
“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to work with the caravan industry on ways to reduce risk for holiday makers and supporting our truckies who keep Australia moving.”
To find out more about the Co-Exist campaign head to https://coexist.org.au
Recent Post:
Categories:
Tags:
Key Industry Partners
