The National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) has developed an instructional video series addressing specific road hazards that present elevated risk to professional drivers. The latest release focuses on the South Eastern Freeway descent in Adelaide’s Hills region, leveraging driver experience to communicate safety protocols.
The video features Ricky Vatsinaris from Collins Transport, who has 20 years of professional driving experience. Vatsinaris narrates guidance while operating a Kenworth K220 pulling a B-double trailer, demonstrating real-world techniques for navigating the descent. The content covers gradient changes, identification of safe stopping points before the descent begins, and navigation of the complex intersection at Portrush Road.
“So much of our job in safely transporting goods around Australia depends on years of experience learning the ins and outs of each section of a highway and especially about steep hills. I’ve driven this road more times than I can count. I understand the importance of planning ahead, keeping an eye on the conditions, and using the safety ramps if needed,” Vatsinaris said in the video.
The South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) has indicated support for the resource as a tool for driver development. “The heavy vehicle and road transport sector wants to ensure everyone completes their trips safely, from our truck drivers to all other road users,” said Sharon Middleton, SARTA president.
Two previous videos in the series address the Koetong to Bullioh descent on the Murray Valley Highway near Wodonga and Powers Hill on the Hyland Highway in Gippsland. A general safety video has also been distributed, with additional descent-specific content planned.
Adam Gibson, transport research manager at NTI, noted the videos employ both aerial and ground-level footage to illustrate conditions including merging lanes, safety signage, and weather-related hazards. “The videos use aerial and road-side vision to help illustrate driving conditions such as merging lanes, safety signage, and weather hazards including fog,” Gibson said.
The video series represents part of a broader range of educational resources and newly commissioned research being rolled out across Australia to address persistent safety challenges in the heavy vehicle transport sector. Research released by the NTARC in conjunction with Safe Work Month provides analysis of crash causation across the Australian transport industry. The 2025 findings indicate that inattention and distraction remain significant contributors to major truck incidents, although the frequency of these incidents has decreased compared to the prior year.
Data from 2024 shows inattention or distraction accounted for 17.9% of major truck crashes, representing a 1.6% decrease from 2023. These incidents predominantly occur as single-vehicle crashes, a distinction with implications for industry-based intervention strategies.
The report identifies inadequate following distance as the second most frequent human factor in truck crashes. This issue shows a distinct geographic pattern, with 80% of these incidents occurring in metropolitan areas. Most incidents in this category involve interactions between heavy vehicles and passenger vehicles, reflecting the dynamics of urban traffic environments.
Speed-related factors demonstrate a longer-term trend of improvement. Crashes attributed to inappropriate speed have declined from 13.8% in 2019 to 8.6% in 2024, indicating sustained progress over a five-year period.
