'Chain of Responsibility' laws to target the cause of heavy vehicle speeding have been approved unanimously by the Australian Transport Council
National Transport Commission (NTC) Chief Executive Nick Dimopoulos said the focus of the new laws is on the underlying cause of heavy vehicle speeding. Off-road parties in the logistics chain must take “reasonable steps” to ensure their delivery schedules and deadlines do not put pressure on drivers to break road laws.
“Enforcement efforts have traditionally targeted drivers at the roadside and only treat the symptoms of speeding, not the cause,” Mr Dimopoulos said. “We want all parties in the logistics chain to share the responsibility for road safety.”
Existing industry best practices – such as setting sensible deadlines, checking records and promoting company policies on speed control – are effective at managing heavy vehicle speed. Studies also show that speed control policies can reduce fuel use by 8 percent and equipment wear and tear by 10 percent.
“The reform is about establishing a culture where speeding is not tolerated, giving drivers a greater say in their schedules, and allowing plenty of time to do the job. Many companies already do this and they deserve to compete on a level playing field,” he said.
Mr Dimopoulos encouraged all parties in the logistics chain to discuss the impact of Chain of Responsibility laws on their business and identify what steps they can take to manage compliance risks.
Penalties include court-imposed corporate fines of up to $50,000, plus three times the estimated commercial benefit gained by breaking the law. Road agencies can also ask the court to impose bans and prohibition orders (such as the fitment of vehicle tracking technology).
Under the NTC’s draft proposal for a single heavy vehicle accreditation framework, meeting an approved standard for managing speed would provide prima facie evidence of taking ‘reasonable steps’.
The importance of sharing responsibility for speed compliance was identified by a Summit to Combat Speeding Heavy Trucks (jointly hosted by the Australian Trucking Association and the NTC). Speed is reported as a factor in 29% of heavy vehicle fatalities.
Chain of Responsibility reforms agreed by Transport Ministers now cover heavy vehicle overloading, driver fatigue and speed offences. All governments have agreed to implement the model Chain of Responsibility laws for speed compliance within 12 months.
National Transport Commission (NTC) Chief Executive Nick Dimopoulos said the focus of the new laws is on the underlying cause of heavy vehicle speeding. Off-road parties in the logistics chain must take “reasonable steps” to ensure their delivery schedules and deadlines do not put pressure on drivers to break road laws.
“Enforcement efforts have traditionally targeted drivers at the roadside and only treat the symptoms of speeding, not the cause,” Mr Dimopoulos said. “We want all parties in the logistics chain to share the responsibility for road safety.”
Existing industry best practices – such as setting sensible deadlines, checking records and promoting company policies on speed control – are effective at managing heavy vehicle speed. Studies also show that speed control policies can reduce fuel use by 8 percent and equipment wear and tear by 10 percent.
“The reform is about establishing a culture where speeding is not tolerated, giving drivers a greater say in their schedules, and allowing plenty of time to do the job. Many companies already do this and they deserve to compete on a level playing field,” he said.
Mr Dimopoulos encouraged all parties in the logistics chain to discuss the impact of Chain of Responsibility laws on their business and identify what steps they can take to manage compliance risks.
Penalties include court-imposed corporate fines of up to $50,000, plus three times the estimated commercial benefit gained by breaking the law. Road agencies can also ask the court to impose bans and prohibition orders (such as the fitment of vehicle tracking technology).
Under the NTC’s draft proposal for a single heavy vehicle accreditation framework, meeting an approved standard for managing speed would provide prima facie evidence of taking ‘reasonable steps’.
The importance of sharing responsibility for speed compliance was identified by a Summit to Combat Speeding Heavy Trucks (jointly hosted by the Australian Trucking Association and the NTC). Speed is reported as a factor in 29% of heavy vehicle fatalities.
Chain of Responsibility reforms agreed by Transport Ministers now cover heavy vehicle overloading, driver fatigue and speed offences. All governments have agreed to implement the model Chain of Responsibility laws for speed compliance within 12 months.
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