The NHVR has reminded truckies of the importance of “proper heavy vehicle maintenance” after an entire transmission system fell from a truck and exploded on the Prince’s Freeway in Altona, Victoria last week.
The incident resulted in oil spillage that limited traffic flow and caused lane closures for more than 12 hours due to the intensive clean-up required.
A crane and tow truck were required to remove the vehicle.
The incident is still being investigated and the cause is not yet known.
However, the NHVR stressed the importance of carrying out heavy vehicle maintenance based on the location where the vehicle operates, rather than “simply waiting for things to go wrong”.
A spokesperson told Big Rigs: “Breakdowns like this one have significant implications, including travel times for general road users, and can lead to poor safety outcomes.
“Frequent servicing checks are crucial, particularly for heavy vehicles that operate in hilly or mountainous areas – this terrain is harder on brakes and suspension components.”
The NHVR added that during pre-trip inspections, drivers should not only look for obvious faults like tyres, windscreens, brakes and lighting, but also oil leaks and fluid leaks that could lead to significant problems.