Driving heavy vehicles safely

All parties in the road transport supply chain - including the consignor, consignee, packer, loader and receiver as well as the driver and operator, have specific obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law to prevent a breach. This is called the chain of responsibility.

All parties in the chain of responsibility must take some action to comply with the speed laws.

Some steps that must be taken include:

• ensuring work practices do not contribute to or cause on-road breaches
• undertaking training to make sure employees understand their obligations within the chain of responsibility
• conducting audits or spot-checks of equipment and systems for compliance, for example, monitoring on-board speed devices
• reviewing contracts and commercial arrangements to make sure they do not directly or indirectly encourage breaches of speed law
• putting contingency plans in place regarding operational issues within speed Laws, such as loading and unloading or managing traffic delays.

Safe-T-Cam is a network of cameras that monitors the movement of heavy vehicles on South Australian roads.

The cameras are on major arterial roads and record, verify and store information about heavy vehicles, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The cameras help to detect drivers who:

• drive a heavy vehicle that is unregistered and uninsured
• fail to take required rest breaks specified by driving hours regulations
• travel between any two or more Safe-T-Cam sites in less than the allowable time under speed and fatigue laws
• attempt to avoid detection at camera sites
• drive a heavy vehicle that is unregistered and uninsured.

You are required to retain all driver records for three years and produce them when requested by an authorised officer. Failure to produce driver and operator records when requested is an offence.

Penalties will also apply for offences originating in New South Wales and detected in South Australia.

Safe-T-Cam camera locations in South Australia

Map showing Safe-T-Cam sites at Globe Derby, Willaston, Crafers, Border Village, Marla, Stirling North, Yunta, Yamba, Pinnaroo, Kieth, and Bordertown.

For more information about Safe-T-Cam camera locations in South Australia, please contact DPTI on 1300 660 279 during business hours.

For more information about fatigue related offences detected by Safe-t-cam cameras, please contact the NHVR on 1300 MYNHVR (1300 696 487).

Information about the national driver work diary requirements, work/rest requirements and where to purchase a work diary, is available from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) website, or by calling the NHVR on 1300 MYNHVR (1300 696 487).