Hitch up your safety knowledge for driving near trucks

Tuesday, 21 January 2025

You hitched up the caravan and packed it with the essentials – what about your truck safety knowledge? Do you know what to do when you come across a truck with your caravan in tow?

Test your knowledge with Jimmy Rees!

Here are our top safety tips:

Be mindful of turning trucks

Trucks and other vehicles that are over 7.5 metres long and have a 'Do Not Overtake Turning Vehicle' sign on the back are legally allowed to take up more than one lane to turn at corners, intersections and roundabouts.

Be aware of a truck's blind spots

There are four blind spots to stay out of when driving near trucks and buses. They are:

• immediately in front of the truck
• directly behind the truck
• beside the driver’s door
• on the passenger’s side, from the door extending across three lanes along the length of the truck.

Overtake quickly and safely

If you need to overtake a truck, make sure you are far enough behind that the truck can see you. Indicate early and, when safe to do so, pass quickly without exceeding the speed limit or lingering in a blind spot. Remember, the truck has a blind spot in front of it so you need to leave extra space before you pull back in.

Maintain your speed

Don’t slow down or exceed the speed limit if you are being overtaken by a truck.

Leave the rest stops free

Truck drivers legally need to use these stops to manage their fatigue. Please take your caravan to the nearest caravan park or caravan parking area.

Use Channel 40 to communicate

If you need to talk to a truck driver, use channel 40. They will also use this channel to communicate with you.

Follow directions from an oversize load’s escort

An oversize load will usually be accompanied by an escort. Slow down and follow their instructions to pass each other safely. If you have an ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio, you can use Channel 40 to communicate with them.