Getting out of the car on a highway is always risky business, made even more dangerous when the car is enormous and in need of roadside repair.

This is a common scenario for truck drivers, and one which hopefully will become safer with the release of the new Victorian ‘Truck Emergency Breakdown and Roadside Safety’ guidelines. The document was launched at Australian Freight Week and aims to provide tips and advice for staying safe near the road.

The guidelines are aimed broadly at truck drivers, employees and roadside mechanical service providers. It contains practical advice on where to park the vehicle (if possible) for a safe exit, and lessons in the appropriate placement of warning triangles.

The guidelines were brought about after a large-scale industry and WorkSafe Victoria audit of safety procedures at the request of the Victorian Transport Association.

The ‘TEBARS - Truck Emergency Breakdown and Roadside Safety’ guidelines will be available to all members of the industry soon.