NZ trucking has a secret weapon in the battle for safer roads

Monday, 4 September 2017

A safety truck will take to the roads along the alternate inland route to educate people about road safety.

At first glance it looks like any other truck, but inside its tough exterior is a secret weapon in the battle for safer roads.

A specially kitted-out road safety truck will take to the alternate Picton to Christchurch route from next week, hoping to educate people about driving near trucks.

It will stop at different schools and communities along the way.

The NZ Transport Agency and the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) alliance is supporting the launch of the Safety MAN road safety truck.

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The inside of the safety truck is kitted out as a mobile classroom geared towards making the learning experience as interesting as possible.

* Alternative route between Christchurch and Picton established

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* Unsafe overtaking 'biggest issue' on the alternative Christchurch route: police**

The fully-customised truck and 'classroom' trailer will be used for a programme of visits delivered by the NZ Trucking Association.

NZ Trucking Association executive officer Carol McGeady says plans for the programme were put in place four years ago, but a lack of funds saw the plans put on hold.

But after the earthquake pushed trucks onto the narrow, alternate route the association decided they couldn't wait any longer.

'We knew straight away that the road would become more crowded so we worked as fast as possible to unroll the initiative from scratch,' McGeady says.

'We quickly discovered that the problem was more widespread and people didn't understand that trucks have become so big and so fast.'

The inland route has become the main highway after the November earthquake closed State Highway 1 through Kaikoura.

There were 38 truck crashes on the alternate route between November 14 and the end of March, including 10 roll overs and 5 crashes causing serious injuries and death.

The 640 horsepower safety truck allows people to sit in the driver's seat to see what the driver can and cannot see on the road.

'There are animations of a talking truck which help take away that idea trucks are smelly, horrible beasts of a thing.

'Too many risks are taken while driving around heavy vehicles, partly because people do not understand the capabilities of trucks.'

For further information visit roadsafetytruck.co.nz.