The Hazards of the Highway Media Note

[Baack]

The Hazards of the Highway media note
Media are advised that Rebecca Everdon from the University of Otago, will be speaking at the Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand Conference on the topic of “Hazards of the Highway”.
Hoani Waititi Marae,
Waitakere City
*Discussion on the dangers of the truck driving profession in New Zealand. Truck travel accounts for only 7 percent of all road travel on NZ roadways, but 20 percent of the total road fatalities occur from crashes involving trucks.
*The design of a new Behaviour-Based Safety (BBS) crash and injury prevention strategy for truck drivers.
*During ‘driver-only’ focus groups, truck drivers defined, and rated the top dangers of the profession. The top five hazards of truck driving were identified as: other road users, road conditions, road design, fatigue, and rules and regulations.
*A set of driver self-reports based upon the dangers identified by drivers. Drivers receive written feedback, including ‘safe’ scores and alertness ratings.
*Preliminary results of the study – initial data analysis indicates that overall driver percent ‘safe’ scores and alertness levels have increased during this ongoing safety treatment.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0910/S00034.htm