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Truck safety rules roll forward

The federal government is making progress on regulations requiring more and better safety features on trucks being sold in Australia.

These long-overdue changes will reduce risks for bike riders and pedestrians as they are adopted across the nation’s truck fleet.

Bicycle Network first reported on these proposals in mid-2021 when we gave support to changes that would lead to the closer harmonisation of Australian truck design standards with those of Europe.

This process would bring critically important safety features such as side underrun protection, and direct-vision cameras and sensors to trucks on sale in the Australian market.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) recently released a discussion paper for consultation with the trucking sector, which provides further detail.

The Euro-based standards will give the Australian industry access to more modern and marginally wider vehicles while requiring:

  • advanced emergency braking (AEB)
  • improved rear vision mirrors and systems
  • lane departure warning
  • side underrun protection (SUP)
  • improved conspicuity markings.

Once new standards are finalised in Europe, blind spot information systems and advanced systems that detect pedestrians and cyclists on the passenger side of heavy vehicles will also be required as part of the mandatory technology package.

The NHVR is now working to determine how these changes will be incorporated into Australian law.

The government is seeking to shape the new rules in a way that provides incentive for the industry to upgrade to safer trucks sooner than later.

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