TARGETED messaging will be activated from October 17 at key New South Wales pinch points, including Moree and Bellata, to encourage safer interactions between passenger vehicles and those transporting grain during what is expected to be one of the biggest wheat harvests on record.
Electronic message signs will be installed roadside at Moree, Bellata, Gilgandra, Trangie, Condobolin, Parkes and Forbes where heavy vehicles and farm machinery being used for harvest will be at its peak.
Motorists in the community, who share the network with these operators, will be reminded of the role they play in keeping the roads safe during this busy time: ‘Be aware around trucks. Can they see you?’ and ‘Be aware around trucks. Use extra caution.’
Transport for NSW Director West Alistair Lunn said while this machinery might be slow-moving, it’s important to remember that nobody wants to hold up traffic.
“We all want to get home safely at the end of each day,” Mr Lunn said.
“The reality is, 85 per cent of fatal crashes on country roads involve a country resident. We all have a part to play in keeping each other safe.
The campaign supported by Transport for NSW, GrainCorp, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and state farming networks is focused on making harvest season as safe as possible.
“Harvest season is an exciting time of year for the state’s cropping communities, but also an exhausting one, as they combine regular farm work with getting grain to the silo.
“The combination of long days and heavy machinery could end badly unless all operators are aware of the dangers of fatigue and are doing all they can to manage it.
“Studies have shown that being awake for 17 hours has a similar effect on your performance and reaction time behind the wheel as a blood alcohol content of 0.05, so we ask all drivers to ensure you are well rested before starting your journey and allow plenty of travel time.
“If you feel tired while driving or experience any of the early warning signs such as yawning, restlessness or sore eyes, pull over in a safe place and have a rest.”
However, Mr Lunn said it was not only harvest vehicle operators who had to take extra care.
“The harvest period coincides with school holidays, which is a time when we see plenty of caravanners travelling on our rural and regional roads,” he said.
“Our roads are there to share and this mix of farming machinery, grain trucks and other traffic along major freight and travel routes makes that message more important than ever.
“All drivers need to be road safe and take proper breaks to manage fatigue. We all need to look out for each other. So, take care and be truck aware.”
Key pinch points for large vehicles during harvest in the Central West include:
Moree: Newell highway opposite the cement silos
Moree: Newell Highway just north of Skinners Creek
Bellata: Newell Highway just north of Bellata
Bellata: Newell Highway just north of Oak Street
Gilgandra: Newell Highway about 500 metres north of Railway Street
Gilgandra: Newell Highway about 2.2 kilometres south of Railway Street
Coonamble: Castlereagh Highway about 40 metres after the 50 km/h speed zone sign
Coonamble: 250 metres south from Castlereagh Highway before the Back Gular Road
For more information please visit the Centre for Road Safety website:
https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety
Media Release: Transport for NSW
