We’re partnering with Queensland Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads to raise awareness about the importance of properly securing your load before hitting the road.
We’ve observed many motorists not securing their loads properly, resulting in hazardous debris and loose objects ending up on motorways and in tunnels, with our incident response crews in Queensland responding to around 20 of these incidents every week.
“Already this year we’ve responded to around 700 lost load or debris incidents – and that’s far too many. These incidents could have easily been avoided if drivers took extra care when securing their load” said Transurban’s General Manger Assets Queensland Angelo Lambrinos.
Our traffic control room team have eyes on the road 24x7 and see a variety of debris and loose objects, including ladders and shovels, on the road every day. The team have even responded to more unusual items recently including a water tank and a kitchen sink.
Any debris on a high-speed road is a hazard to motorists and can lead to traffic delays and even crashes.
“If you find yourself in a situation where an item has come loose from your vehicle you should pull over to a safe location, such as an emergency stopping bay or the nearest exit, stay in your vehicle and wait for our expert team to recover these items safely,” said Mr Lambrinos.
“Our incident response service is always on standby, ready to respond in the event of an incident – generally arriving within eight minutes.”
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said workers on the road collecting debris were at risk when recovering dropped items.
“We don’t want to see a dangerous situation caused on our roads by items dislodged from vehicles” said Mr Bailey.
“The [Queensland] Government has just introduced move over slow down road rules to make roads a safer place for first responders, including incident response crews. This requires motorists to move over a safe distance and make a reasonable attempt to slow down when driving past roadside crews who are displaying red, blue or yellow flashing lights”.
“We want every person to get home safely and these new road rules will go a long way in ensuring that happens.”
Tips to properly secure your load
- It’s important if carrying bulky items that your vehicle or trailer is loaded safely to ensure it doesn’t become a hazard on the road.
- Items should be properly restrained, ensuring no dangerous overhang and not exceeding mass limits. Ensure the item doesn’t cover your vehicle mirrors, lights, indicators, or licence plate number.
- If you’re not sure how to do this – find out before you travel.
Find out more on the Queensland Government website.
