Media Alert: Safety Experts Remind Drivers Roads are Workplaces as September School Holidays Begin
Date: 13/09/2024
The Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS) is pleading with car drivers to take it easy on the roads these school holidays, as transport industry employees continue to hit the bitumen for work.
While traffic is expected to increase as the Queensland school term ends, AIHS Chair, Cameron Montgomery, reminded holidaymakers that key corridors remain transport hotspots for heavy vehicles making deliveries across the State.
“Working in transport can be a challenging job already, without added pressures of additional vehicles on the road, many of which may have drivers who aren’t used to being around trucks and other heavy vehicles,” Mr Montgomery said.
Safe Work Australia’s preliminary fatalities data shows the transport industry has the highest number of worker deaths of any industry in 2024, with 27 people having lost their lives. The most common cause of death in the workplace this year is a vehicle accident, claiming the lives of 36 people.
“We are asking car drivers to practise courtesy on the roads these holidays, and if you find yourself around a heavy vehicle, ensure you give it plenty of space to manoeuvre and brake,” Mr Montogomery said.
“Transport workers should consider the potential impact of traffic on their routes and delivery times, and plan accordingly.”
Cameron Montgomery
AIHS Chair Cameron Montgomery has worked in Occupational Health and Safety and Injury Management for two decades and serves on the Industry Advisory Board for the Victorian Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Australia at Federation University, and WorkSafe Victoria as a safety expert. He has been at the AIHS for five years and was elected Chair in November 2023.
ENDS
Media Enquiries:
AIHS Contact: Rebecca Turnbull
Tel: (03) 8336 1995
Email: [email protected]
About the AIHS: With a 76-year history, the Australian Institute of Health & Safety is Australia’s national association for the health and safety profession, with a vision for safe and healthy people in productive workplaces and communities.