Heavy vehicles road safety

Heavy vehicle safety tips

Learn about buying safe heavy vehicles and staying safe on the road.

When you buy a heavy vehicle, check what kind of safety features it has. Safety Technologies for Heavy Vehicles and Combinations provides details on a range of:

  • crash avoidance technology
  • protective technology to improve safety for drivers, passengers and other road users
  • driver comfort technology. 

Improving you vehicle's safety

If you want to improve the safety of your current vehicle, consider these options:

  • tipping-trailer stability protection system
  • electronic braking distribution – only for vehicles with airbag suspension
  • wheel nut indicators and locks
  • disc brakes
  • vehicle visibility markings
  • tyre pressure management devices
  • suspension seats with integrated seat belts
  • seat belt wearing monitors
  • automatic brake adjustment devices
  • LED lighting
  • intelligent speed adaptation warning system
  • fire suppression systems.

Heavy vehicle operators can also improve fleet safety with:

  • automatic incident notifications and routine event reporting systems
  • alcohol ignition interlocks.

Heavy vehicle modifications should only be done by a qualified professional technician. Some may require an Approved Vehicle Examiner approval certificate. These are often referred to as engineering approval certificates. 

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Preventing heavy vehicle rollover

Reduce the risk of rollover crashes by:

  • understanding the causes
  • creating codes of behaviour
  • making sure the vehicle’s load is centred
  • ensuring the vehicle is correctly loaded and the load is safely restrained
  • installing dynamic systems, such as electronic stability control and rollover prevention
  • using appropriate vehicles and/or trailers for the task
  • planning trips to assess routes and reduce risks
  • educating drivers and others about rollover crashes and measures to avoid them.
  • travelling at speeds that suit the road conditions, your vehicle’s load, and the angle of the corner you are turning
  • using the correct driving techniques to manage the forces at work on your vehicle