Road safety

Primary Producers SA is joining the call for a turn around to South Australia’s horror start to 2023 on the roads, launching its Road Safety Campaign.

The state’s road fatalities are more than double the figure recorded at the same time last year, and about two thirds of those fatalities have happened on country roads.

PPSA Chair Professor Simon Maddocks said any life lost on the roads is too many and PPSA wants to see this year’s worrying trend turned around.

He said, as the peak organisation representing the primary production sector in SA, PPSA is acutely aware of the vital role that safe, efficient and cost-effective transport plays in our state.

Professor Maddocks said feedback coming through from PPSA’s Transport and Supply Chain Committee was that, anecdotally, farmers and transporters are reporting more near misses on the roads, with impatience a major factor in these incidents.

In a bid to curb this worrying trend, PPSA is running a road safety campaign, through radio advertisements, backed up by newspaper messaging.

The PPSA Road Safety campaign is supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions.

Heavy vehicle safety

PPSA has collaborated with Grain Producers SA on three different heavy vehicle projects which have been made possible by funding from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, supported by the Federal Government.

The projects are outlined briefly below. For more information, visit the GPSA website.

Chain of Responsibility … Made Easy!

In early 2019, GPSA held interactive, FREE and practical workshops for our members, and PPSA commodity group members, in conjunction with industry experts Natwide Personnel.

These workshops have helped to:

• Educate farmers about what the new chain of responsibility laws mean for farm practices when using heavy vehicles on public roads,
• Ensure compliance for all members of the farming business, and
• Provide attendees with the opportunity to question and seek expert advice on their farm situations.
• Following attendance, farmers received support and advice from Natwide for the following 12 months

Roadworthy Heavy Vehicles … Made Easy!

The Roadworthy Heavy Vehicles … Made Easy! project consists of theory and practical workshops which are designed for members of PPSA who own and operate their own heavy vehicles and help to deliver on our commitment to road safety.

Theory workshops are led by road transport experts who have a comprehensive knowledge of quality management and national heavy vehicle maintenance systems, to provide primary producers with:

• Outline of the NHVR Heavy Vehicle Inspection Manual
• Road safety awareness
• Producer compliance and maintenance responsibilities
• Requirements of the regulator

In addition, all theory workshop participants have the opportunity to take part in a practical workshop to receive valuable hints and tips on keeping heavy vehicle’s roadworthy.

Primary producers who attend the workshops will receive training and knowledge which will be essential in helping them to develop a tailored approach to heavy vehicle maintenance, inspections and compliance on vehicles involved in their farm businesses.

Moving Ag Machinery … Made Easy!

The Moving Ag Machinery … Made Easy! project is gathering feedback from across the commodity spectrum to help inform improvements, training and resources aimed at primary producers who access the NHVR Portal for permits.

A steering committee chaired by strategy and marketing specialist Michael Neale is overseeing the project, with members including:

• John Gilbert, NHVR
• Brad Perry, GPSA
• Caroline Rhodes, Primary Producers SA
• Dion Woolford, grain and livestock producer
• Robert Brokenshire, Livestock SA
• Anthony Pfitzner, grain and livestock producer
• Adrian Flowers, SA Forest Products Association
• Lindsay Crouch, Pringles Crouch
• Tim Glover, Ramsey Bros
• Tom Hage, Hage Tractors & Implements
• Sami Gilligan, Wine Grape Council of SA
• Toni Clarke, Local Government Association
• Jarrod Beilby, Regional Development Australia

This project will be seeking to understand what issues producers have in understanding the National Class 1 Agricultural Vehicle and Combination Mass and Dimension Exemption Notice 2020 (No.1)  and, if their machinery falls outside of the notice, educate them on accessing the relevant permit through the NHVR Portal. It will also be an important feedback mechanism for all levels of government to understand the issues facing those moving agricultural vehicles and combinations to meet statutory requirements.

GPSA will conduct surveys and focus groups to gain a broader understanding of the issues facing producers, with producers from across all commodity sectors strongly encouraged to participate.

This information will be captured in an action plan that will inform workshops, training and educational resources for primary producers.