Nhill event to assist heavy vehicle operators

Published on 25 October 2024

Heavy vehicle owners and drivers will have the chance to drop in and hear from industry experts at the Nhill Trailer Exchange where there will be multiple road safety displays and presentations next month.

Horsham Rural City Council is partnering with a group of organisations to deliver the event at the Nhill Trailer Exchange on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 November 2024.

This event was initially scheduled for February this year but had to be cancelled at the last minute owing to the devastating fires in the Grampians and across the region, which tied up resources of Victoria Police and other agencies that had planned to be involved in the road safety event. The Western Highway was also temporarily closed due to these fires.

Themes to be addressed at the road safety event include vehicle safety, roadworthiness, overloading, towing, fatigue, speed, and a range of road safety issues.

Representatives of Victoria Police and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator will be there with a focus on providing information and education rather than enforcement.

Chief Executive Officer Craig Niemann said the Heavy Vehicle Safety Event would also feature practical displays, demonstrations and presentations.

“The aim is to give the heavy vehicle industry a chance to find out the latest tips to improve their road safety,” Mr Niemann said.

“The Western Highway is one of the nation’s key interstate freight routes, and unfortunately it is over-represented in fatalities and serious injuries, so we are keen to do everything we can to help reduce the occurrence of these incidents,” he said.

“The event is also very relevant to local transport operators, including farmers and livestock transporters, and we thank the Department of Transport and Planning which has funded this event through its Community Road Safety Grants.”

Other key participants in the event include the the Livestock and Rural Transports Association of Victoria, Worksafe and several local municipalities including the host Hindmarsh Shire Council.

The event will be on from 4pm to 11pm on both days. Drivers and operators are invited to attend this drop-in event based on their availability.