is this Crash a one off, or is the system a causality

Below is a report taken from. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/victoria/truck-licensing-shake-up-looms-after-spike-in-crashes-20200425-p54n7h.html our reply is in dot points to address issues related to truck driving.

Truck drivers are getting licences with only a few hours of experience behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle, prompting the Andrews government to consider a dramatic shake-up in a bid to improve road safety.

  • this has been the same process with licencing rort’s exposed in media, the entire truck training industry has been in free fall for many years. why has the very sad and devastating loss of Victorias finest needed as a catalyst to drive change
  • note to all, every driver of a car, motor cycle, truck, bus has passed the Victorian government approved license standard test?
    • should we be blaming the drivers, or the testing standard developed and approved by state governments .
    • who is designing these training programs and what research and evidence is used?
    • the crash rates post test is not at any acceptable standard.
  • are we being distracted from the real causalities.
    • drugs
      • easy fix just need a government with the will to reduce the risk
      • all heavy vehicle drivers are already .00 legislation.
      • so its just installation and calibration costs for interlock.
      • cheaper than the crash consequences
    • mobile phone distraction
      • easy fix, turn screens off when vehicle reaches designated speed,
      • its already an option on iPhone.
      • just needs a government t with enough will to change the legislation
    • fatigue
      • there are already globally accredited solutions available

After a week of fatal collisions on Melbourne’s roads – and a spike in the number of truck crashes nationwide – The Sunday Age can reveal the state government is examining an industry-led push to improve what some describe as “dismal” training standards in Victoria.

  • with less risks on the roads, a spike in crashes shows the causality is perhaps greater than envisaged by risk management policy makers.
  • are the crashes caused by news licence drivers, if not then we are being diverted from the real causality.

On Wednesday night, in one of the worst collisions yet, four Victorian Police officers were killed when a semi-trailer drove into the emergency lane where they were impounding a Porsche, whose driver had allegedly been speeding on the Eastern Freeway.

  • no words. its a tragedy.

Under the current system, anyone who has an Australian car licence for two years can upgrade to drive a loaded heavy rigid truck, which can weigh up to 22.5 tonnes, after only a few hours of training. Within a year they would then be eligible to drive a loaded semi-trailer, which can weigh up to 42.5 tonnes, if they passed another quick test.

  • don’t blame humans for crashes they were never taught to manage or avoid
  • all Truck drivers started from the very low base of car licence.
  • we allow overseas drivers with 3 plus years holding to gain full Victorian licence.even though we know what standard they have. WHY
  • india driver training system:
    • pay for licence’
    • drive 100meters in a straight line
    • note trucks governed to 80kph
    • ‘freeways have speed humps to slow drivers down

Transport bosses – who are pushing for a minimum five-day course – say Victoria’s graduated licensing system is based on “time served” rather than skills behind the wheel.

  • the car licence is NOT performance based, its 120 hours focused,
  • you can pass a car licence and have no interaction with any other road user, NOT performance based
But without serious reform, they argue, the road toll will continue to climb and the state will suffer ongoing driver shortages because employers are increasingly reluctant to hire people without the necessary experience.
  • perhaps its time employers started training and applied to government for RTO status.

“It’s an easy qualification because all you have to do is pay about $1000 for five hours of your time,” said Victorian Transport Association chief executive Peter Anderson, who is heading a ministerial committee review into the issue.

  • so the government know there is a causality active?

“The industry is asking the government to acknowledge the fact that we want to see drivers properly trained before they get a licence. You should know what you’re doing before you get into a truck.”

  • the testing standard needs to mimic job needs, sounds like all training systems

Figures from the federal department of transport show in the 12 months to December last year, 188 people died from 173 fatal crashes involving heavy vehicle trucks – an increase of more than 27 per cent from the year before.

  • the standard testing requirement has not changed so why the crash rate changes, we need to investigate causality
  • are the drivers newly licensed
  • are the drivers fatigued
  • is screen distraction playing a role
  • is there trend lines for causality in the evidence

The circumstances surrounding the truck driver involved in Wednesday’s crash remain unclear as he is yet to be interviewed by police. However, industry sources say the broader issue of road safety and employment pathways for truck drivers have been on the table for months, and that the government should act urgently.

Roads Minister Jaala Pulford. CREDIT:DANIEL POCKETT

Roads Minister Jaala Pulford said road safety was a priority for the government, which had initiated the review into heavy vehicle licensing “to help ensure there are enough safe and skilled drivers to meet industry needs and support Victorians joining the industry.

“We’ll continue to work closely with the transport industry through this review – and we’re looking forward to considering the outcomes once complete,” she said.

  • looking forward to the review outcomes

The review is expected to propose a mandated training system, lasting at least five days, that would involve at least 66 hours of teaching before a driver could be licensed.

  • tradie does 4 years
  • car licence is 120 hours
  • truck licence 66 hours

Craig Nicholson, chief executive of Armstrong’s Driver Education, said such a program would significantly improve the state of heavy-vehicle licensing in Victoria, which he said was “dismal.”

  • this chap has been training and testing the truck drivers on our road now, can he provide a research backed study that his drivers have not been in crashes?

While Armstrong’s offers a range of accredited courses giving people ample behind-the-wheel time, The Sunday Age is aware of several other operators providing courses that only run for half a day, with only a few hours of driving experience.

  • this is a Governement approved standard licence test, are there variations intros training to standard
  • or are there more than one test standard

Mr Nicholson said the public’s safety was being “compromised by thousands of poorly-trained drivers being on the road”.

  • how long has the public health been compromised?

“If you were about to board a plane and you were told that the pilot had only a couple of hours of actual flying time experience, I’m sure most people would have second thoughts about whether to get on,” he said. “Yet the reverse is true for heavy-vehicle licensing.”

Drug paraphernalia found inside truck involved in deadly accident

Drug paraphernalia has been found inside the truck responsible for the tragic accident that killed four Victorian police officers.

  • this would and should be instigating a completely different slant and conversation, not focused on the driver training he received
  • Should all trucks be fitted with interlocks, drug and alcohol analytics.

Craig Waters

Senior Coach

@idrivesafety