Hair-raising dashcam footage shared by freight operators is being used to highlight the dangers of impatient driving, with road freight association Transporting New Zealand warning that lives are at risk.
It has released a series of videos captured by truck drivers, showing near-misses on public roads — including reckless overtaking and dangerous merging. The group says the footage is a stark reminder of the need for all road users to exercise patience and common sense around heavy vehicles.
Transporting New Zealand chief executive Dom Kalasih says truck drivers are increasingly reporting close calls caused by reckless driving behaviour.
“Truck drivers spend more time on the roads than almost anyone else,” Kalasih says. “Transporting New Zealand is consistently hearing concerns from our road freight members about incidents of impatient and unsafe driving they’re seeing while going about their work.
“The roads are the workplace for truck drivers, and that’s a workplace where a moment’s impatience or inattention can shatter lives forever.”
He says drivers of heavy vehicles are legally required to travel at no more than 90km/h, even on roads where the posted speed limit is 110km/h — requiring all road users to take extra care when overtaking or merging.
“Please be patient and wait until there’s a passing lane or a clear section of road before overtaking.
“Think about how far you have to go to get clear of a truck and possibly a trailer. The combined length of both can be up to 23 metres – that’s a significant distance to cover and you need a safety gap at the other side.”
Kalasih says there’s no excuse for putting others in danger to save a few minutes on the road.
“It’s not worth risking your life or anybody else’s for the sake of saving a few minutes. That’s how horrible wrecks happen.”
Transporting New Zealand has published three dashcam clips where collisions were narrowly avoided:
- Not the Foggiest: Captured near Taupō, this clip shows a ute attempting to overtake with virtually no visibility. “You can almost hear the paint squeak as the over-taking vehicle ducks in,” the group says. The video was submitted by a freight operator in Taupo.
- Waipawa wake-up call: Filmed near Waipawa in the Hawke’s Bay, this video shows a stock truck carrying bulls attempting a wide turn into a driveway — Just as one of the team mentions what a tricky spot it is with some people trying to pass on the outside, a vehicle decides it will try a different approach. Some dialogue in the clip has been redacted
- Merge Mayhem: Shot near Rotorua, this footage shows a last-minute merging move that nearly causes a collision
Reporting dangerous driving:
- If you see life-threatening behaviour on the road, call 111.
- For urgent but non-life-threatening road incidents, call *555 from a mobile.
