The NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight prompted an angry response from the trucking industry after proposing truck drivers suffering from fatigue should be shocked with electricity.
While appearing on ABC Radio, Minister Melinda Pavey put forward that technology capable of jolting truck drivers may benefit road safety.
‘The technology now is so advanced, a driver can be driving and get an electric shock if they look away from the windscreen for more than two seconds,’ Minister Pavey said, on Wednesday morning.
NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey (pictured) suggested fatigued truck drivers could be electric shocked
Richard Olsen (pictured) State Secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union of NSW, says TWU members know that that the responsibility for safety on NSW roads is a shared one
The Union argued however that the cause of most truck-related accidents is not due to drivers, but extreme and unfair working conditions.
Richard Olsen, State Secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union of NSW, says TWU members know that that the responsibility for safety on NSW roads is a shared one.
‘The necessary shared responsibility isn’t being demonstrated by companies and government. Instead of blaming drivers, the Minister must ensure that all levels of the supply chain take responsibility. Her continued lack of leadership on this issue, while people continue to die on our roads, is shameful.’
Later Ms Pavey clarified that the conversation was not intended to cause debate, however to bring to light the new forms of technology being used to increase road safety.
‘New technology for fatigue management are currently in place in Australia and being rolled out across fleets by our most responsible operators, and further research continues to highlight new measures.
Hannah Ferguson (pictured) was one of the victims of the tragedy near the NSW town of Dubbo
The student’s 19-year-old boyfriend, identified in reports as Reagan Skinner, was also killed in the crash
‘Despite these advancements, and the possibility of measures which will save both truck driver’s lives and protect the whole community, the TWU want to make headlines about themselves,’ she said.
NSW’s roads minister also said earlier she was worried about the number of heavy vehicle crashes on state roads, with six trucks involved in deadly crashes within 24 hours.
Two people were killed on Tuesday when a B-Double truck ploughed into cars stopped at roadworks, injuring at least 10 others near Dubbo.
The crash came less than a day after two separate fatal crashes involving trucks on NSW roads.
A semi-trailer is believed to have slammed into a queue of cars stopped at roadworks. The impact reportedly threw at least one commuter from their vehicle
Authorities described the crash scene (pictured) as ‘absolute carnage’ on Tuesday, after the truck slammed into the queue of cars believed to be stopped at roadworks
Tuesday’s horror smash happened near the town of Dubbo – about 400km north-west of Sydney
The minister described the latest truck crash as ‘an absolute horror’.
‘I am just so concerned and disturbed about the level of accidents involving heavy vehicles in NSW at the moment,’ Ms Pavey told ABC News.
‘We’ve had six heavy vehicles involved in accidents in the past 24 hours which are going to destroy lives, destroy families.’
Meanwhile, one truck driver was killed and one other injured in a fiery crash south of Newcastle involving three heavy vehicles on Monday.
Two other truck drivers were killed near Grafton when their trucks collided on the same day.
Mr Olsen (pictured) said Minister Pavey’s ‘continued lack of leadership on this issue’ while people continue to die on NSW roads, is ‘shameful’
Six trucks involved in deadly crashes within 24 hours on New South Wales roads (stock picture)
Ms Pavey said she was worried about the 45 per cent increase in heavy vehicle accidents on the state’s roads between 2016 and 2017, adding that increased activity on NSW roads was not enough to explain the jump.
She said speed was still the leading contributor in fatal crashes on NSW roads, while fatigue, drugs and alcohol also played significant roles.
NSW Police Superintendent Peter McKenna urged drivers to rest when they needed to and not use drugs or drink alcohol when driving.
‘We need people to adhere to the messages police are putting forward about road safety,’ he told reporters near Dubbo.