A ‘B’ train heavy truck which rolled on SH39 near Redlands Road, Otorohanga was the third fatal truck accident since the May 20 launch of the trans-Tasman Operation AUSTRANS, which is targeting heavy vehicle safety issues including fatigue, speed and stimulant use.
Emergency services responded to the accident at 10pm to find the sole occupant/driver of the truck had sustained serious injuries, and died at the scene.
No other vehicles or persons were involved, and both the Police Serious Crash Unit and Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) are investigating the accident.
Fatal truck crashes at Tolaga Bay, Keri Keri and Otorohanga have marred the on-going AUSTRANS campaign and prompted calls for better understanding of underlying issues that affect truck drivers’ safety.
Karl Andersen, Transport & Logistics Secretary for FIRST Union, has called for a detailed investigation into the causes behind the spate of accidents, “Alongside other dangerous industries like mining and forestry, road transport is a major contributor to workplace deaths.”
“Truck drivers work long hours and suffer significant disruption to their family life. We [must] get to the bottom of why our road toll remains high for truck drivers and other road users affected by truck accidents,” says Andersen.
Andersen believes stronger legislation is required and that New Zealand should consider Australia’s recent law change around working practices, “Last year Australia passed a new law to prevent remuneration-related incentives for truck drivers to work in an unsafe manner. The law and ensures that hirers of drivers and participants in the supply chain take responsibility for maintaining the new standards.”
“Many truck drivers are owner-operators with constantly squeezed margins, which can lead to drivers taking short cuts, breaking regulations and in some cases using stimulants to get through. Fatigue is a very real issue for many drivers,” says Andersen.
Responding to the First Union claims, the Road Transport Forum’s CEO, Ken Shirley said that that fatal accidents involving heavy vehicles are a matter of deep concern, but the recent fatalities needed to be viewed in context, “Heavy truck safety has improved significantly over the past 10 to 15 years. Fatal accidents involving trucks are 1/3rd of the level, per 100 million kms, that they were in the mid-1990s – injury accidents have halved over the same period”
The RTF noted that the AUSTRANS operation has found that that other road users are the major cause of heavy vehicle fatal accidents, “This year’s campaign is making a point of addressing other road user behaviour around trucks as well as focusing on fatigue, speed and stimulant use” Mr Shirley said.
Shirley says that New Zealand already has chain of responsibility provisions covering working hours, speed and maximum weights, “These require drivers and supply chain participants to take responsibility for maintaining standards, and the Forum wants these provisions to be toughened up.”
The RTF say that trucking operators should be aware that Australian legislation goes beyond setting remuneration rates, “The Road Safety Remuneration Act can decide remuneration, working hours, working times, load limits and payment methods” says My Shirley, who believes that implementation of similar legislation in New Zealand will signal a return to more rigid union activity. “It would be union heaven,” says Mr Shirley.
The National Distribution Union and Finsec amalgamated in 2011 to form FIRST Union, with members from Finance, Industrial, Retail, Stores & Transport.
