Don't blame the truckies, it is everyone's responsibility

COMMENT: THEY'RE the unofficial kings of the road.

Road safety isn't just up to truckies, it's everyone who uses the road. Picture: Contributed

COMMENT: THEY'RE the unofficial kings of the road.

Every day, they risk their lives pulling heavy cargo across the country, sometimes away from home for weeks at a time.

They travel stretches of road some wouldn't dare attempt in a car, let alone a B-double, just to make sure the rest of us get what we need on time.

No matter who we are, what we do, or where we are from, each and every one of us is impacted by the work of a truckie - which makes each and every one of us responsible for improving safety on our roads.

It can be hard to fathom just what a truck driver faces each day, but for anyone who has driven the Mount Lindesay Rd connecting the Southern Downs to the Northern Rivers, a major route for truckies, you will understand just how much danger these people endure on the job.

They travel roads barely wide enough for their own vehicle, let alone traffic coming in the opposite direction. They drive for hours on end without a break because the rest of us are demanding we get things right now.

And then there are the idiotic drivers who cut in front of trucks, drive right up their rear end, or overtake them on a corner, putting not only their own life in danger, but the life of the person in the front cabin.

He may not be your father, he may not be your mate, but that unfamiliar face on the highway is doing what he does for you - show your respect.

Georja Ryan

Warwick Daily News, Acting Editor

Originally published as Don't blame the truckies, it is everyone's responsibility