The NHVR is continuing to focus on the dangers of illegal engine remapping with the latest round of information highlighting the safety risks of speed limiter tampering.
The campaign was released earlier this year, with a focus on the harmful effects toxic diesel emissions can have if the emissions control system of a heavy vehicle is tampered with.
Research shows up to 60 times more pollutants can be released into the atmosphere with a tampered system, causing damage to the health and safety of individuals, workplaces, communities and the environment.
What is just as concerning, and in many cases more alarming, is the risk of speeding. Any heavy vehicle speeding is going to take longer to come to a stop – and the higher the speed, the more chance of a collision, injury or worse.
Speed limiter tampering to increase the ability for a heavy vehicle to go over its legal speed limit is dangerous and illegal.
We know that safety is the highest priority in our industry, and majority of industry do the right thing, particularly when it comes to the safety of vehicles and drivers.
But there is still a percentage that break the law and put the safety of drivers and the community at risk.
Statistics recently released by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics show that approximately 70 per cent of fatalities involving articulated trucks occurred in speed zones 100km/h or over.
One life injured or lost on our roads is one too many, and together, we need to do everything possible to travel and arrive safely.
If anyone connected with the industry feels a pressure to speed in a heavy vehicle and illegally break the law, I encourage you to contact the NHVR’s heavy vehicle confidential reporting line so our team can support you.
Pleasingly, more and more companies and drivers are taking up opportunities to enhance their fleets and heavy vehicles and incorporate the latest safety technology.
The NHVR has put forward a plan to support new technology through our Vehicle Safety and Environmental Technology Uptake Plan, or SETUP.
The plan outlines a program of work to accelerate the introduction of new safety and environmental technologies into the Australian heavy vehicle market.
It contains five work packages that aim to encourage operators to incorporate newer, more advanced technology into their fleets.
We hope this plan will go a long way to improving safety and productivity for drivers, and the industry as a whole, moving forward.
I invite your feedback on the latest version of our engine remapping campaign as we continue to do what we can to improve safety in our industry, as well as for everyone on our roads.
For more information visit www.nhvr.gov.au/
engineremapping