New road safety campaign targets young drivers

New road safety campaign targets young drivers who share roads with heavy vehicles, and it comes from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR). Launched to reach Learner (L) and Provisional (P) licence holders, the initiative demonstrates practical steps these drivers can take to stay safe around trucks on Australian roads.

The Don't #uck With A Truck campaign uses direct, attention-grabbing messaging to reach young speeding drivers and other at-risk road users during a formative stage of their driving journey. It combines a striking road safety campaign approach with real-world scenarios drivers encounter daily.

Why This Campaign Matters for New Drivers

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the campaign is intentionally provocative, designed to grab the target audience's attention and start important conversations around road safety.

"Getting an L or P plate is a big step in a young person's life – it is essential they have the information and skills to stay safe around trucks and develop positive long term driving behaviours," Petroccitto said.

"Our goal is to prevent situations where a young driver could be in a lane next to a turning truck, or they pull in front of a truck too soon," he added.

Survey Findings Reveal Knowledge Gaps

In a survey of 500 drivers aged between 16 and 25, the NHVR found less than half of respondents knew to keep one lane either side of a truck free when it turns.

This gap highlights why targeted guidance for young drivers remains critical. Heavy transport vehicles require significantly more space to manoeuvre, and misjudging that distance places new drivers among those with the highest crash rates on Australian roads.

Campaign Reach and Delivery

The campaign will appear across social media platforms and billboards, extending its message beyond a single video into everyday spaces where young drivers spend their time.

Key elements of the rollout include:

• Targeted social media content aimed at L and P plate holders
• Billboard placements in high-traffic transport corridors
• Clear, memorable messaging built around real turning truck scenarios

Supporting Safer Roads Through Ongoing Education

Programs like this join a growing list of road safety campaigns across Australia aimed at reducing preventable incidents involving transport operators and everyday motorists. Similar efforts, such as the SafeWork SA farm safety campaign and the SafeWork silica safety campaign, show how targeted messaging can shift driving and workplace behaviours over time.

For businesses managing fleets or transport operations, maintaining clear driver expectations is equally important. SafetyDocs offers a Drivers' Safety Manual to help organisations reinforce safe driving practices alongside campaigns like this one.

Read the full story here.