All our team at Rex J Andrews Pty Ltd rely on road users that are sharing the road at the same time as us to maintain the safety of all.
Our projects can be very long and large and can be quite daunting to see us coming towards you or coming upon us in front of you.
We would like to share with you what we can see & can’t see from our cabs, as our team are concentrating on transporting these big loads
Our large loads always have Pilot cars with them, we ask that guidance is taken from these operators to ensure everyone’s safety.
Image: NHVR
The campaign by Transport NSW really highlights the drivers visibility from inside the truck cab; we invite you to Click this link Courtesy of Transport NSW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVC9FoVzRwQ
The diagram above outlines the blind spots a truck has, it is imperative that other road users understand that if they sit in these zones and a truck needs to merge lanes or prepare to turn the driver can not see the vehicle driving along side of them. Accidents occur due to this action, and perhaps lack of understanding of truck driver visibility.
- Never ever cut in front of a Truck.
Not at traffic lights, roundabouts, intersections, not on the open road, motorways etc. Heavy Vehicles need a LOT of room to slow down and stop, and they need all the space that's there if they need to turn. The stopping capacity of a heavy vehicle is a lot greater than that of a standard car. Please see the table below.
Image courtesy of QLD.gov
- The sign saying, "Do not overtake turning vehicle"
If a driver is indicating a turn left, they will most likely move across to the right first as more room is needed to make the turn safely. There are many blind spots for a large vehicle & whilst turning visibility can be impaired further.
- If you overtake a heavy vehicle,make sure you have a clear road ahead, do not overtake on a curve or crest. Don't underestimate the time it takes to overtake a Long Vehicle. Passing a 50-metre load can take as much as 60 seconds. That is approximately 1.5 km of road needed to pass, many of our loads are longer than this, so will take longer & further distance to pass. Move back into the left lane once you can see both headlights in your mirror, and don't slow down to a slower speed once in front. Be patient and pick the right time, follow the directions of the safety cars travelling with the load.
- On unsealed roadsslow down when you see an oncoming truck, unsealed roads can quite often be narrow, so you may need to pull over to allow the truck to pass. The dust clouds the truck kicks up will obscure your vision; drive slowly & safely or stop until the dust settles. If you are driving behind a truck on an unsealed road keep a safe distance and turn on your headlights so the driver knows you are there... Or even better, pull over and wait, let some distance gather between you and the truck. A few minutes are the safer option.