Focus – Facilitating safe overtaking of slower moving vehicles

Facilitating Safe Overtaking of Slower Moving Heavy Vehicles

Heavy vehicles including triple and quad road trains transporting bulk minerals, and Over Size Over Mass (OSOM) vehicles transporting large mining machinery, often travel slower than light vehicles and general freight heavy vehicles.This can sometimes lead to driver frustration for those caught behind the slow moving vehicles, particularly if there are no overtaking lanes in the area.

If you’re the driver of a slow moving heavy vehicle, or the driver of a pilot vehicle which accompanies a slow moving OSOM vehicle, there are a number of things you can do to facilitate safe overtaking, and help ensure everyone makes it home safely.

While communication with other vehicles via UHF radio definitely helps by letting other drivers know what movements to expect from the slow moving heavy vehicle, without radio contact it can be much more difficult and dangerous.

To try and overcome this, road train drivers often activate their right-hand indicator to let the vehicle behind know there is an opportunity to overtake. While well intentioned, there are a number of safety concerns with this practice.

Firstly, the driver of the vehicle behind the road train might not know that this is considered common practice and might instead be wondering why the road train keeps indicating to turn right. More concerning however, is if the driver behind the slow moving vehicle mistakes an actual right turn signal for a signal to overtake – which could lead to a near miss, or crash.

In addition, the use of right-turn signals by road trains can lead to drivers who are approaching a road train from behind becoming complacent and relying solely on the judgement of the road train driver to determine if it is safe to overtake. However, every driver is different in their reaction and acceleration times. This may result in their vehicle not overtaking as quickly as the road train driver expects, increasing the risk of conflict with on-coming vehicles.

While driving, Pilot Vehicles and Traffic Escort Wardens can sometimes assist road users by using their traffic signals to indicate that it is safe to overtake. However, it is important to note that Pilots and Escort Wardens do this as a courtesy, and this is not considered a direction necessary to facilitate the movement of heavy and/ or OSOM vehicles. Ultimately, it is up to the road user to ensure it is safe to overtake before doing so.

If however, traffic is backed up and the heavy vehicle has pulled over to enable traffic to safely overtake, then drivers must follow the directions given by the Pilot or Escort Warden to safely pass the area. Even in these situations, road users are encouraged to proceed with caution and follow these steps: • Be patient. • Make sure you can clearly see the road in front and that you have a long, straight stretch of road ahead of you.

Overtaking trucks takes a lot longer than a regular car. If you can’t see what’s ahead, do not overtake - wait for a safer opportunity. • NEVER overtake on a curve or hill where visibility is reduced. • After you’ve passed, wait until you can see the vehicle’s headlights in your rearview mirror, and don’t forget to indicate, before returning to the left lane. • If you’re towing a caravan or trailer, give yourself extra room.

National Roadworthiness Survey

Main Roads Western Australia (Main Roads) Transport Inspectors are there to: - ensure all heavy vehicles comply with the relevant legislation - provide a high level of safety for all road users; and - protect the road network through intelligence driven enforcement activities, auditing and education.

As part of a recent National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) initiative, Main Roads participated in the National Roadworthiness Survey alongside other partner agencies across Australia.

Conducted over 12 weeks, the Survey involved the inspection of various combinations of heavy vehicles including rigid trucks, buses and special purpose vehicles in order to carry out a mechanical safety and health check of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet. The Survey will play an important role in monitoring the fleet’s condition and assessing the changes since the NHVR initiated the inaugural baseline survey in 2016.

Since the 2016 Survey there have been considerable improvements in vehicle technology, the role of safety systems and investment in developing safety practices. However, the importance of a daily safety check as part of a driver’s pre-trip routine remains constant and was reinforced during the current Survey.

The Survey will also allow the NHVR and Main Roads to target safety programs at key areas.

As of June 2021, Main Roads had inspected 674 vehicles related to the Survey.