Transport companies should make black boxes mandatory and provide operators with access to drivers’ records in order to improve safety standards, according to the Australian Logistics Council (ALC).
In a submission to the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, the ALC said increased company monitoring of fatigue management and speed is required to improve compliance.
“ALC believes safety outcomes would be enhanced if transport companies were made aware of when a breach (such as speed, fatigue, load restraint etc) has occurred in one of their vehicles. This information is currently not provided to them due to privacy restrictions,” the ALC submission said.
“Furthermore, ALC believes transport companies need to be able to confirm whether employees and contractors driving their vehicles have an appropriate and valid heavy vehicle licence. While this may be imposed as a condition of employment, providing this information is also prohibited under privacy legislation.”
The ALC, the freight transport and logistics supply chain industry’s peak body, noted that studies in Europe and the US have shown that introducing black boxes to monitor fatigue management have reduced heavy vehicle accidents by 20-30 per cent and also reduce the severity of accidents.
“ALC believes that this is a matter worthy of inquiry for the making of a road safety remuneration order as a ‘related condition’ to the engagement of a road transport driver, designed to advance the object of the [Road Safety Remuneration] Act of developing and applying reasonable and enforceable standards throughout the road supply chain to ensure the safety of road transport drivers,” it said.